Come Back to Me
by ChristinaFay
Summary: Gently tracing the crease between his brows, the young witch wondered just how much she didn't know about the old wizard lying in the hospital bed before her. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked at her sadly for one last time. "Hermione," He whispered, "come back to me..." - A story about timeless love between an unlikely couple.
1. Prologue and the Beginning

**_A/N: _**_alright, here is another story that just recently popped into my head. Since then it has refused to leave and threatened to take my mind with it if I don't start putting it down! It's a time traveling story, but I'm quite certain it'll be unique in its own way. You might be able to spot traces of an old (relatively speaking) movie that inspired the concept (but no, just because you will spot a wardrobe, it's not the Chronicles of Narnia movies). Leave me a note if you'd like to take a guess!_

_I am still working on finishing up my other story "The Contact". I will never abandon a story. Eventually we will pick up from where we had left off, and go through all that political madness I have planned for you. So if you notice my absence from this story, it's probably because I'm working on the other one, so that I don't have to feel guilty about "neglecting" it. Stay tuned. =)_

**_Also, huge thank you goes to Luna de Papel... Thanks for being my beta! =)_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine. _**

* * *

**Prologue**

"What do you mean you are pregnant?" His velvet voice suddenly raised, laced with an unfamiliar emotion that made her wonder whether he was angry or concerned about her condition.

"There isn't a better way to put it, is there?" She questioned back quietly, trying desperately to sound calm. "I'm pregnant. I'm with child, your child."

"But I thought you've been taking potions. I watched you take the potion every time!"

"It has a 99% protection rate," she replied, forcing an uneasy smile as she looked up at him. "I guess this is our 1% luck."

"No, not my potion! Not the potion I brew!" He scowled, "I know what causes of the 1% failure rate from the store-bought potions. That's why I've been brewing it for you. Why didn't you take the one I made you?"

"I... I ran out. A few vials slipped out of my bag and broke when we were running from the snatchers in the forest," she answered; her voice barely audible.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He was not satisfied with her reply. "Why didn't you ask me to brew another batch?"

"You have enough to worry about! I didn't want to burden you with this! I thought... I thought the 1% chance is highly unlikely." She tried to reason with him as her tears threatened to break through her wavering controls. "I know this is a surprise. I'm only here to inform you of the news. It's not like I'm here to ask you to take any responsibility."

He didn't say a word in response. The silence in the room was suffocating.

"I know we haven't talked about this whole... baby thing. Heck, I haven't even thought about this myself until very recently. Who am I kidding... I really shouldn't have expected you to jump up and down with joy with the news, should I? Listen, I will take care of the baby. It's alright if you don't want anything to do with the child. I will raise the baby myself."

"You will force the child grow up without a father?" His voice strained.

"Well, if those are the circumstances we have to live with." She looked down and suddenly found her shoes very interesting. "I will give the baby another last name, different from mine and yours, pretending to have another person as the father. I can make up some background stories. I can..."

"How dare you." He cut her off with his cool voice. The three words felt like ice daggers stabbed through her heart, sending shivers down her spine. She looked up carefully and saw him approach her slowly, his intimidating dark eyes piercing into hers.

"How dare you accuse me of being an irresponsible bastard?" She heard pain in his voice. "How dare you assume I'd be a coward and run away from my responsibilities? You always have to know everything, don't you? It must have never crossed you mind for the briefest moment that we are in fact in the middle of a war, a hopeless one, I might add. And you and I are not even supposed to be seen being in the presence of each other! You've allowed a life to be brought into the horror, the peril, and this miserable world. You said you were concerned about me having too much responsibility, yet you have just informed me of the existence of another life I haven't the slightest idea how to protect!"

"Protection is not what I'm here for!" She raised her voice to match his, unable to stop a tear from escaping down her cheek, "I don't need your protection! _We_ don't need your protection!"

"But that is _MY_ child!" He bellowed as he pointed his hand straight at her midsection.

Silence returned to the room as she quietly wiped away her tears. Before either one could break the uncomfortable silence, a voice suddenly called from the fire place, as the head of Lucius Malfoy struggling to poke through.

"What a pleasant surprise, Lucius." He immediately turned to face the blond-haired wizard, hiding the witch from view behind his tall figure and flowing black robe. "If this is an invitation to Narcissa's dinner party this weekend, you could have just sent me an owl."

"Potter! Potter was in Hogsmeade!" Lucius Malfoy obviously had no interest in any idle chatter. "We were after him, but he disappeared somewhere in the village. Someone must be helping him. He may be heading your way! The Dark Lord is quite eager."

"I see." He nodded at the warning thoughtfully. "I will tend to this immediately."

He watched the fair head of the wizard disappear completely into the green flame before swinging around to face her. "What else are you hiding from me?" He snarled. "Please tell me Malfoy and every other Death Eater in the country is suffering a bad case of paranoia. Please tell me they are only chasing after a shadow. And please, tell me, that your idiotic friends are not as stupid as I had expected!"

She drew in a sharp breath before answering, without meeting his eyes. "That's the other reason why I'm here to see you tonight. I couldn't convince Harry to consult our next move with you. He believes we are running out of time."

"Indeed." He stated darkly, obviously furious about the situation.

She wished he would growl or swear at her, or maybe throw some hexes at the furniture and break something in the room. Any violent outburst would have suited the situation perfectly. But he did none of that. He was rooted to the floor, glaring at her with his dark eyes. When he finally opened his mouth, it was to ask a question in the same cool voice he always used in his classroom. "Anything else?"

"Huh? What?" She was at a loss.

"I'm asking if there are any other reasons why you are here to see me tonight.," he went on coldly, "other than informing me of the lifelong burden I shall carry, and the fact that you are not capable of playing your part in this bloody war as the brains of that reckless Potter, do you have any more grim news to share?"

The tightness in her throat seemed to have sealed away her voice. She could only shake her head, looking back at him through her tear-filled eyes.

He continued to glare at her for a long moment, before turning away towards the door. "Very well," he said as he strode out of the room, "you will stay out of this madness then."

"What do you mean?" She hurried after him and asked.

He turned to face her abruptly before reaching the door. "What I meant is very simple: you will stay here in this room, until it's all over."

"But I must fight! I came here to fight! I will fight with you! I will fight with Harry!"

"Absolutely not!" He sneered. "Not while you are the only protection I can count on for _MY_ child."

She was shocked by his words and couldn't find a proper retort. Without a backward glance he strode out of the dungeon before slamming the door shut behind him.

A very long moment later she whispered through staggered breaths. "There was one more reason why I came here tonight, Severus... I came to tell you... I want to tell you... I love you."

She buried her face in her hands and let out a sob. It was probably best that she didn't humiliate herself by telling him how she felt about him. He couldn't be feeling the same about her. She had probably forced herself too willingly upon him. He probably catered to her just so that she would stop following him around trying to make herself his confidant.

She paced back and forth nervously by the fireplace, completely submerged in her own misery. And then suddenly, she felt the castle shake. She could hear screaming in the hallway. She quickly pulled out her wand and ran for the door. But right when she touched the door knob, a shockwave ran down her fingertips and up through her arm.

"You bastard!" She cursed under her breath. He had meant business when he ordered her to stay until it was "all over".

She swiftly ran through every room in his quarters, looking for a window or another door. But either because his quarters were poorly designed, or he had somehow managed to hide all the exits from her, she couldn't find another way out.

Another explosion somewhere nearby in the castle knocked her down to the ground. A few glass vials from his medicine cabinet fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Looking up, she stared at the chandelier as it swayed dangerously from the living-room ceiling. Letting out a small yelp, she dashed to into his bedroom, just in time to get away from the shattering glass pieces that used to be part of the hundreds of crystal candles.

Crawling deep into the room, she tried to catch her breath as she leaned against his mahogany wardrobe. When she heard the explosions moving closer and closer, her mind began to race. She began to worry someone would blast into his quarters. What if they were Death Eaters? What would she say if they found her there? She would blow his covers. She would bring more danger to him. Thinking quickly, she climbed into the small compartment behind the wooden door of the wardrobe and sat in the corner.

Holding her wand tightly in her hand she leaned against his traveling cloak that was hanging next to her. Taking in his scent of mint and sandalwood she closed her eyes and let her tears fall. "Get me out of here, please." She murmured in her head, "I want to be away from this miserable war, this depressing time, and this hopeless world. All I want is a peaceful place for our baby."

Her eyes flew open when a bright light enveloped the inside of the wardrobe. Had she been hit by a spell? A charm? A curse? Before she could point her wand at the door, the small space where she was ensconced suddenly began to shrink. The young witch lost her balance and fell backwards into endless darkness.

A few moments later, when the light was gone, his lonely traveling cloak was the only thing left in the wardrobe.

* * *

**Chapter One - a Different Time and a Different Place**

**_August 26, 2058_**

"Hurry down here Toby Harold Prince! You don't want to miss the shuttle on your first day of school as a third grader!" A woman in her late twenties called towards upstairs as she kept a watchful eye on a simmering cauldron by the kitchen table.

A moment later, hesitating footsteps announced the arrival of the newly promoted third grader. A boy with wavy black hair slowly sat down by the kitchen table but didn't, however, look up from the thick book in his hands.

"You have fifteen minutes to finish your toasts and eggs and get down the lane to the bus stop. Come on sweetie, you don't want to be late." The young woman walked over to the cauldron and checked the thick liquid with a skillful stir, before looking up at her son. The boy had listened to his mother and had begun to munch on his toast, but he still had his head hidden behind the book.

"What are you reading Toby?" She asked him curiously.

"The story of Harry Potter..." He answered absentmindedly.

"Again?" She arched her brows, "you really like that part of the history, don't you?"

He didn't answer his mother's question, but he put the book down as well as his toast. "Mom, are we related to the half-blood Prince?"

"Who?" She asked, but didn't move her attention away from the sandwich she was making him for lunch. "Who's the half-blood prince?"

"The half-blood Prince, you know, Severus Snape! The hero from the British Wizarding Wars."

"Oh him... The hopeless romantic..." She murmured, "I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

"Well for one, we have the same last name as his mother's family. And also, you have a British accent. You told me you might have lived in UK before you lost your memories. I'm thinking there is a chance my dad is also British. So no matter if Prince is your maiden name or dad's last name, our family might be related to Snape's!"

"The wizarding world is not that big sweetie." With a wave of her wand, the witch sent the sandwich, a banana, and a bar of chocolate to a lunch box on the counter. "We are probably all related at some point. Why does that matter anyway, my little detective? Having some extended family way across the Atlantic Ocean wouldn't change anything, would it? You still need to hop on the school bus in ten minutes. As far as this war hero, Severus Snape, I have no idea if he's even alive still. The war ended almost sixty years ago, didn't it?"

"Oh I'm sure he's alive mom." Toby answered seriously. "He's a wizard. Us wizards live a long time, don't we? Maybe we should owl him and ask about our heritage."

"Alright, alright." She came to his side and put his book out of his reach. "We will continue this interesting topic later tonight. Now please hurry up. I'll walk you down the lane, but we'll have to go soon."

"I'm not hungry," Toby pushed the plate away from him and dropped his head. "And I don't want to go to school."

Her heart sank as she heard her son's quiet declaration. He had been having trouble at school since first grade. It wasn't because he didn't like it. Oh no, he was a smart kid and he always loved math and art and reading. All of his teachers seemed to like him; but that didn't prevent the other children in his class from bullying him.

Taking a deep breath she sat down next to him, trying to sound cheerful. "But today is different! We've talked about this already, haven't we? We are starting at a new school and you'll have new frien..."

"You said the same thing last year!" He spat bitterly, as he wiped away a few drops of silent tears with the back of his hands.

She looked down, unable to find a good rebuttal. She had transferred him out of the school he went for first grade at the beginning of his second grade, for the exact same reasons. But apparently the town they lived in was not that big, and the children attending the elementary schools all knew each other somehow. And for whatever reason, the fact that Toby Prince didn't have a father always managed to become the juiciest gossip on the playground.

"Why can't you remember? Why didn't you stay with my dad!" She immediately realized the boy's questions were truly his bitter accusations. Without waiting for a reply from his mother, Toby picked up his backpack and lunch box and dashed out the door.

"Wait!" She tried to go after him, but closed her eyes as she reached the door. He had already run down the country lane. "Have a good day sweetie," she said quietly through a sigh. "I love you."

Being a single parent had always been trying for Hermione Prince, especially when she woke up one day in a park in San Francisco, unable to remember anything about her past. No family or friends came to claim her and she found herself alone, except for the baby she was carrying. She was thankful she had retained some helpful knowledge in charm work and potions. Her abilities quickly found her temporary employment opportunities in the local wizarding community. Eventually, she was able to save up enough money and open her own store. Following her plans she found a quiet community in the Sierras along the freeway connecting California and Nevada, selling incense to muggle tourists and simple potions to the witches and wizards who lived nearby. However, none of the challenges she had to go through as a successful small business owner could compare to what she had to endure as a single mother.

Having absolutely no recollection of her past, Toby had always been her only family; he was her everything. Hermione did all she could to distract him, trying to compensate the boy for the fact that he didn't have a daddy at home. Despite the lack of any extended family, she always made friends quickly with their neighbors as soon as they moved into a new community, hoping to create a friendly circle for Toby. She took him to muggle parks and movies, introducing him to the muggle world; she also took him to the festivals put on by the scattering wizarding communities all along the West Coast, so that he could learn about his heritage, and be prepared for his future as a wizard.

As hard as she tried, it always pained her when she couldn't answer his questions about his father. No matter how much she researched, she simply couldn't find the answers to explain why she couldn't remember her past. Unfortunately it seemed, any information related to Toby's father had vanished along with her own history.

Walking back into her kitchen, she set a dozen crystal vials next to the cauldron. With a wave of her wand, she filled each of them up, and completed the task by inserting a small wooden plug into the top of each vial. The mail order for coughing potions was ready, and Hermione had planned on sending them out with the first owl.

When she came back to the kitchen table, she frowned again at the sight of the barely touched toasts and untouched eggs. _He'll definitely like the sandwich then_, she tried to comfort herself. And then she saw his favorite book, Harry Potter and His Many Adventures.

She picked up the book and leafed through it briefly, noticing some familiar names like Dumbledore, Harry and Severus. She knew the history of the two wizarding wars well enough to tell which side was good and which side was evil. But for some reason the details of the two wars never registered well in her head, as if she had a mental block on the specifics from that time period. There were only a handful of things that stood out to her from reading about that historical period. One was that Harry Potter had a good friend named Hermione. She thought the heroine must be responsible for the name's popularity. Her own parents, no matter who they were, must have thought naming their daughter after a war hero would bring her good fortune. The other fact about the war that impressed the witch the most was Severus Snape's dedication to a woman named Lily. _No one would be so silly to hang on to a high school sweetheart these days,_ she thought to herself when she first read about him. Was Lily even his high school sweetheart? Hermione couldn't recall any stories about that particular romance. Secretly, she called Snape the hopeless romantic and firmly believed his story couldn't be completely true. _Even historians might be tempted to add a little glamour to the historic characters sometimes. _Of that, she was quite sure.

Toby, on the other hand, seemed to be completely bewitched by the Harry Potter stories. He had read the complete series at least three times as far as Hermione could recall; and he was only nine! _It's time to find him new reading material. _Hermione made a mental note as she walked down the country lane towards her small shop, the freshly brewed potion vials in the basket dangling on her arm.

TBC

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**_Alright, a good stopping point for the first chapter. We have a few possibilities with the future of this story: 1) this may be a long story (by long I mean longer than all of my other ones), and I am, honestly, quite intimidated; 2) the rating of the story may need to be elevated at some point, if I think it no longer appropriate for my daughter and my nieces to read; 3) this is likely going to be the last story I'll write for a while, so I hope to part with my little writing frenzy on good terms. Since I'm making these possibilities, I know everything could take a completely different direction as well, depending on your feedback. Love to hear from you. =)_**


	2. Toby's Hero

_**A/N: Thank you all for your encouragement and support! I love your reviews, and knowing the first chapter was interesting enough for some of you to follow the story made my heart swell. But I do need to take this opportunity to apologize for making the beginning of the story so... sad. I promise... it's only temporary. There will be drama, but trust me: I am too much of a wimp to ever write tragedy.**_

_**And Luna de Papel... how do I thank you? I appreciate your patience being my beta and your amazingly speedy feedback!**_

_**Disclaimer: Not Mine.**_

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**Chapter Two - Toby's Hero**

"How's your darling little boy doing?" An old witch asked kindly as she dug into her purse for a bill.

"Toby is doing great!" Hermione answered cheerfully as she put a crystal jar of violet colored ointment into a small paper bag. "He just started third grade a couple of weeks ago."

"Third grade already?" The old witch asked in surprise. "My my my... Kids grow up too fast, don't they?"

"They sure do Mrs. Griffey. Here is your favorite hand salve. Enjoy!"

"Oh I certainly will Hermione. I just love how my hands feel after using this. It's definitely worth the trip out of my shabby cottage. I heard a new bakery opened down the road. Have you tried it? I thought I would pick up a loaf of bread while I'm out here."

"Their croissants and morning buns are excellent too." Hermione smiled warmly at the old witch, before leaning over and whispering, "You would've thought they stole the recipe straight out of a house-elf's kitchen, except they say their goodies are also 100% organic and cholesterol free! Now that's some impressive magic."

Watching the old woman giggle all the way out of the store, Hermione took a quick glance at the clock on the wall. "Oh look at the time Jenny," she called towards the backroom, "it's past noon already. Would you like your lunch break now?"

A young woman in her early twenties came out from the backroom following her call. As she made her way over to the counter, she twisted her long blonde hair into a bun and tucked her slim wand into the bun like a chopstick. "I was hoping to ask you, Hermione... Do you mind if I leave later, say about one thirty or two, for the break, and then take the rest of the afternoon off?"

"Oh..." Hermione arched an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"I just got a text from Ben this morning." The young witch answered, trying hard to hide a big grin in her face, "he got released early and can start his break today. He'll be in town this afternoon. I haven't seen him for three weeks since he started his rotation in Texas."

"I didn't realize he's been away for so long already! You've been talking about him every day, I almost forgot he left for his aviation training. Go ahead, by all means. And no problem, I can take care of the store for the rest of the day. Do you want tomorrow off too?"

"I can stay a little longer." The young witch smiled. "His flight won't be here until three anyway. And he's visiting his parents tomorrow so I can come to work with no problems."

"You should have flown your boyfriend back yourself!" Hermione teased.

"Yeah, right!" Jenny chuckled, "He may be able to handle a fighter jet, but I don't think he can manage to sit still on a broom!"

The two women shared a good laugh visualizing the funny image of a six-foot three Marine dangling from Jenny's broom. Sharing small talks, they began rearranging the merchandise in the display windows for the upcoming weekend.

"Say," Jenny asked casually as she restocked little packets of incense on the shelf, "is your little boy really okay? How does he like his new school?"

Hermione's hand paused in midair as she considered the question, but quickly returned her attention to the vials floating in a displaying case in a corner of the store. With a wave of her wand she cast a charm over the case, so that only witches and wizards could detect its existence. "He's doing alright, I suppose." She sighed, "it's just hard... when the other kids pick on him."

"Well... do you think it'd be better if you find him a father figure?" Jenny asked curiously.

"Fantastic idea, Jenny." Hermione let out a small laugh, "should I walk down the street with a sign asking guys if they'd be willing to stand up for my son at school? And I'm warning you," she put on a serious expression, "don't you dare signing me up on any blind dates with guys you find on the Internet ever again."

"That's not what I mean this time!" Jenny stuck out her tongue and made a face. "I'm just suggesting that maybe you can go out a little, you know, meet some people. It's fun!"

"I see," Hermione smiled, "you are determined to set me up with one of your boyfriend's buddies, aren't you? I'm sorry Jenny. They are just not my type."

"Okay so I'll cross out the uniforms. What is your type anyway?" Jenny stopped what she was doing, clearly intrigued by the topic. "I've known you since you moved here. How long ago was it? Four? Five years? I've watched you passing on all the eligible bachelors in town! Granted, it's not that big, but still! Is none of them good enough by your standards?"

Hermione didn't answer; Jenny knew she hit a nerve.

"You really can't remember, can you?" She frowned. "You think he's still somewhere out there looking for you? Your boyfriend? Or husband?"

"I don't know Jenny..." Hermione sighed, "I know it's been years. But I still don't want to give up. There has to be a way I can get my memory back. I don't want to do something I may regret when I eventually remember why I was here at the first place. As far as him looking for me, well, I'm afraid you might be overly optimistic about my past. How do you know he didn't leave me, or didn't kick me out of his life?"

"My golly, Hermione!" Jenny leaned against the counter and earnestly addressed the woman who was her boss and her friend. "Do you realize how all the guys look at you when they come to the store? _Everyone _adores you! No one would ever want to leave you or kick _you_ out!"

"Okay my friend." Hermione looked up from the counter as she locked the small glass case showcasing hand-made glass jewelry. "Thanks a lot for the self-esteem booster. Why don't you go home now, change into something pretty and get ready to welcome your knight in shining armor?"

"Awww..." Jenny whined, "you are kicking me out! Just because I pointed out a serious problem in your life!"

Hermione dismissed her young friend with a wave of her hand. "Let me think about my type and get back to you all right?"

* * *

Afternoons in the Sierra Mountains were still warm in September. Hermione opened the windows to let some air in. That was when she heard a soft pop in the back of the store. She frowned at the sound, wondering if that could be Jenny forgetting something. Her customers usually Apparated to a nearby street corner and walked into her store through the front door.

"Did you forget something?" She asked as she walked through the side door into the gravel yard. Before she could react, Toby bounced into her arms.

"Mom! Mom! Guess who I met!"

"What are you doing here sweetie? School is not out until 2:30! What did you say?" Hermione suddenly realized what she had heard. Looking up, she noticed an old man standing a few feet away from them.

The older gentleman was tall and lean, with his shoulders slightly slouching forward. His hair was completely grey. His dark eyes seemed weary. He was carrying a black leather suitcase, the kind that could fetch a handsome price at an antique store. Dressed in a slightly worn dark grey tweed jacket, he looked like a university scholar from the beginning of last century. A white scarf loosely tied around his neck, seemed slightly unfit for the warm weather on this early fall day. He might have been in his eighties. But, if Hermione was right about the soft pop she heard earlier, he had to be a wizard. And that meant he could be even older.

"Mom! Listen!" Toby's voice pulled Hermione's attention back from the older gentleman. "Mom, this is Severus Snape! The wizard from the books I read! He fixed my bleeding nose! And he took me home!"

"What?!" Hermione's voice rose in alarm, staring at her son she scolded, "you followed a stranger out of school? What were you thinking!? You are nine! You should know better by now!"

"But mom!" Toby immediately began to protest, "This is Severus Snape! He's the good guy!"

"Your mother is right." A smooth and calm voice came behind the boy. "It was indeed a serious lack of judgment on your part."

Hermione's eyes shot up and found the old man's dark ones piercing into hers.

"However, there was an unpleasant incident in the schoolyard." The old man explained slowly. "I didn't like what I saw when I walked by."

"What happened?" Hermione gasped, and quickly turned to Toby for the explanation.

"Well..." Excitement seemed to have evaporated from the boy's voice as he dropped his head and said, "Jack and Dylan started it, mom. I was ignoring them for the longest time. But then they cornered me behind the classroom right before lunch break and started calling you names. So we got in a fight."

"What did they call me?" Hermione asked.

"They called you a witch," Toby answered.

"And that bothered you?" Hermione raised her brows and let out a small laugh.

"No! But... they call you other things too. And I don't think you'd like me to repeat it." He was almost whispering.

Hermione took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes at the boy. "What happened then?"

"I punched Dylan. But they are bigger and there were two of them, mom," Toby said in a small voice. "They got on top of me really quick. That's when Mr. Snape showed up."

Toby's answer suddenly reminded Hermione of the existence of the old man. "Oh... I'm so sorry sir!" She quickly looked up again, surprised to see the he was still staring at her tensely. "I was being awfully rude... Where did my manners go?" She took a small step forward and shortened the distance between them. "You must be a wizard?" She reached out with a hand, which he shook gently. "I heard you Apparating earlier. Please forgive Toby. I must apologize. My son has been reading the Harry Potter stories way too much. He was probably living in his pretend world when he recognized you as a wizard with a British accent."

"MOM!" Toby was obviously offended by his mother's statement.

"That's... quite alright." The man frowned, but seemed to have relaxed a little. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you however. Your son was not mistaken. I am, indeed, Severus Snape."

"Oh..." Hermione's eyes widened, as she struggled to find the words, "Wow... Er... Oh... Mr. Snape. I'm so sorry."

"Do you always spend half an hour apologizing when someone brings your son home from school?" The old wizard asked coolly.

Hermione let out an uneasy laugh and shook her head. "No. It's just... quite unexpected... sir. Um... Would you like to come in for some tea? I just would never imagine seeing someone like you... here."

"Tea would be nice." The old wizard nodded slowly. "I could use a little rest after wrestling those two trolls off of your son."

Toby flew to the wizard's side, took him by his arm and led him into the backroom, with Hermione trailing behind. Putting the tea kettle on the stove, she walked over to the small kitchen connecting to the backroom and put together a small display of cheese and fruit. Realizing it was lunch time, she also added a couple of croissants to the plate.

"Did I even thank you properly, sir?" She said politely as she set the tea and the plate of food down by the old man and the boy. "Thank you so much for coming to Toby's rescue, and bringing him home to me."

"Severus." The old wizard murmured.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" Hermione leaned a little closer, not sure if she had heard his reply correctly.

"Call me Severus." He answered, with his eyes locked on the cup in his hand. After a small pause he added, "thanks for the tea, Mrs..."

"You are very welcome, Severus. It's just Miss." Hermione smiled. "Miss Prince. But everyone I know just calls me Hermione."

She didn't understand why his dark eyes suddenly darted at her with such intensity. Did she say something wrong? Arching her brows at the reaction of her unexpected guest she said, "Uh... if you could excuse me... I need to call the principal real quick. They are not going to be happy when they realize they are missing a student." She directed the last part of her sentence at Toby.

When Hermione got off the phone with Toby's principal, she returned to the backroom from her office. She slowed down her footsteps, trying to listen to the quiet conversations in the room.

If she had to be honest with herself, she couldn't call it a conversation. It would be much more accurate to call it a monologue by Toby. She hadn't heard the boy chat so excitedly for a very long time. He was asking lots of questions, one after another, and all seemed to be related to the stories he had read about the British wizarding wars.

Hermione soon realized their guest could use a little rescue from the boy's endless questions. "Toby," she entered the room and addressed her son sternly, "Mr. Hartman was not happy at all about the incident at school today. You will have to apologize to Dylan tomorrow for punching him."

"But they started it first..."

"That still didn't give you the excuse to hit him. Dylan and Jack have been asked to apologize to you, too. So there. Please. Let it go." She shook her head.

The boy chewed on his bottom lip and sulked in his seat. Watching her son's cheerful spirit disappearing, Hermione suddenly felt very guilty. "What were you talking about with Mr. Snape?" She hoped changing the subject would help the mood in the room.

While the boy didn't answer, the wizard replied. "Your son was interrogating me about all the events occurred over half a century ago. Although I am impressed by his familiarity with that useless piece of history, I must say I have no interest in digging into my memory for answers."

"I'm so sorry. It's just... you have to know how much Toby admires you from reading the stories. Say, what brought you here to this part of the world anyway, Severus?"

Taking a sip of his tea Severus said, "I've been touring around the world for the past few decades."

"Touring around the world?" His answer lifted the boy's spirit and brought back his curiosity. "Is this an adventure? Do you have a list of places to visit? Are you writing a book about your journey?"

Shaking his head slowly, Severus answered, "No, nothing of the sort, unfortunately. I was tired of the scene back in Britain. The endless harassment from the public nearly drove me insane. I needed to get away. I was also in search of..." his voice trailed off, as if he was suddenly lost in thought.

"Are you looking for a place where you can quietly retire?" Hermione asked as she picked up a grape, smiling inwardly as she noticed Toby had the decency to seem embarrassed upon hearing Severus' opinion about intrusive questions.

"Perhaps... you could say that." Severus nodded thoughtfully.

"Oh, do you like our town, Mr. Snape?" The boy's was grinning broadly at the old wizard now.

"This is really a very nice place." Hermione nodded in agreement. "Perfect weather, nice people, and a cute little downtown with several nice restaurants."

"I can do without the people." He drawled.

Hermione couldn't help but let out a giggle. She vaguely remembered hearing Toby commenting on the snarly professor named Severus Snape. Now that she was having a conversation with him, she found his dry sense of humor very charming in a strange sort of way.

Realizing the old wizard was glaring at her, Hermione straightened up a little and cleared her throat. "Well, if you like this area, you should look into some of those cabins around. Some of them are for short-term leases, perfect for tourists; some are for sale. It may work for people who'd like to get away from life in the city and start something new in this little haven."

"Was that why you chose to live here, to get away from the past and start something new?" He suddenly asked.

She arched a brow at his strange question.

Seeming to have realized the inappropriateness of his question, Severus hastily added, "You do have a British accent."

"That's partly the reason." She hesitated for a moment before continuing on. "It's also just a beautiful place with a open-minded community traditionally friendly to both muggles and wizards. It seems to fit our needs perfectly. As for the cabins…" She didn't want to talk much about herself, and steeled the topic back to the local real estate market. "There is a one-bed-room cabin two doors down from us. But it's not furnished. There are also a couple of bigger ones further down the road towards the hill. I have a friend who is a realtor. If you like, I can give her a call and have her show you around."

"Please Mr. Snape! Please stay in our town!" Toby pleaded. "Mom's friend Cindy is the best realtor in the world. Let her find you a perfect home!"

"I'll take the cabin down the street." Severus said quietly. "I'll lease it."

"What?" Hermione's eyes widened. She was not trying to sell anything to him, and certainly not a piece of real estate. And besides, who in the world would make such a rash decision when it comes to finding a home? "You must have misunderstood," she tried to explain, "I'm not trying to sell you anything. You should look around, really. There are plenty of nice choices, especially if you go further up into the mountains. The one I just told you about isn't even furnished."

"I have everything I need in here." He pointed at his suitcase briefly. "Contrary to your belief, I'm not a gullible old man. I understand you perfectly well. I'm tired from my traveling. And I think the cabin down the road is exactly what I need. Call your friend and tell her to meet me somewhere. I hope to complete the transaction as quickly as I can."

"Oh." Hermione didn't know how to make of the old wizard's decision. But based on the determined look on his face, she decided it wouldn't be wise trying to persuade him to rethink his decision.

A couple hours later, Hermione's friend Cindy danced out of Hermione's store, the old wizard following behind. Cindy had come to Hermione's store after receiving the call about a potential buyer. Following her buyer's wishes, the realtor flew through the procedures necessary for the transaction and finished all the paperwork in record time, right there in Hermione's office. Hermione had tried interfering twice, reminding Severus he didn't need to sign all the papers so soon, considering a hotel room could be easily booked in town. But both times her suggestions were deterred by the wizard's glaring dark eyes. Instead of prolonging the process as Hermione had suggested, Severus made a couple changes to the contract and bypassed some options that would usually protect the buyer's interests. In the end, the deal was completed before sunset; and Severus followed Cindy to his new residence.

* * *

Toby couldn't contain his excitement as he watched the events unfold in his mother's store this special afternoon. After Severus left for his new home, the boy couldn't stop talking about having the greatest wizard living down the road. He brought up the idea that his mother should bring some dinner over to their new neighbor. Realizing her son would certainly want to befriend the old man, Hermione decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to get to know him herself. That was why at just a little past seven in the evening, Hermione found herself holding a freshly baked chicken casserole, waiting outside her new neighbor's door with her son.

The old wizard seemed slightly surprised when he found the young witch and her son at the door. But he quickly regained his composure and invited them inside. To Hermione's great amazement, the little cabin had already been completely furnished. She knew wizards could do amazing things, but she didn't expect him to be completely moved in within the first few hours of his ownership of the cabin.

As if reading her mind, Severus simply stated, "I told you I had all I needed in my suitcase."

"All of this?" Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief. "Your bookshelves, tables, chairs, your four-poster bed, and the wardrobe?"

"A little trick of the _Undetectable_ _Extension_ _Charm_. You sure are familiar with it, aren't you, Hermione?" He looked into her eyes and arched a brow.

"I've heard of it..." She frowned, "but never tried it myself."

The new neighbors exchanged a small conversation as the old man thanked the witch for her help that afternoon, as well as the delicious dinner dish. Before long, Hermione was trying to usher Toby out of the door.

"Can I come visit you after school tomorrow Mr. Snape?" The boy asked pleadingly as his mother pushed him across the threshold.

"That would be... fine." Severus nodded. "As long as it is acceptable by your mother."

Sending him a big grin, the boy skipped down the lane towards home. Giving her famous new neighbor a small smile, Hermione bid Severus goodnight and went after her son.

* * *

Severus watched the witch and the boy disappear behind the door of their small two-story house, before retreating back into his cabin. Walking past the chicken casserole on the kitchen table, he settled in his wing-back chair by the fireplace. A glass of fire whiskey was waiting for him on a small table next to the chair. He picked it up and examined the golden liquid in front of him.

"Merlin, how could this be?" He took a small sip from the glass. "After all these years... Have I finally gone mad?" Feeling a wave of tiredness wash over him, he let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.

As he had explained to Toby that afternoon, he had traveled the world in the past few decades. He was partly telling the truth when he said he was trying to get away from the public eye after the war. There was, however, a much bigger reason for his travel.

After the final battle, everyone was looking for Hermione. It turned out Severus was the last one who'd seen her that evening. While the thought of her carrying their child gave him the reason to cling on to life, the news of her disappearance nearly took away all of his will to live. He tried all he could to conceal his emotions when Minerva informed him of Hermione's disappearance. Potter and Weasley couldn't provide any useful leads when they came to visit him, other than saying no one found her body in the ruins of the dungeons. Knowing people killed by dark magic could simply vanish, Severus expected the worst.

As soon as he was released from St. Mungo's, he rushed to his quarters at Hogwarts. However, other than broken glass everywhere, there was no sign of anyone forcing their way into his quarters. Unless... he had thought... she had discovered a way to undo his wards from the inside when they were weak. That was not completely impossible, as he was certain his wards were likely frail when his life was hanging by a thread after the bite of the snake.

But that still didn't answer the question of why she had left them all. And where did she go? If she had indeed survived the final battle, Severus thought the only reason for her to hide might have something to do with the child she was carrying. Fearing she might be ashamed of their relationship, Severus kept their love affair only to himself, never mentioning the secrets they shared to another soul.

Too often he found himself staring into the night sky, remembering every word they said to each other throughout the trying years during the war, replaying their entire conversation in the evening of the final battle in his head. He wondered if she was carrying out her plans of "raising the baby by herself". Was she still upset with him for his harsh words? Severus cursed himself for not being able to control his temper. Why did he always have to spit out the wrong words in his fury?

Eventually, he had set out a life-long journey looking for her: at first he was looking for a young witch, later he searched for a young witch with a baby, and years later, he began to ask for a witch with a grown child. He thought even if she would have nothing to do with him, he could still apologize and meet his child, at least for once. He spent the first two decades combing through the wizarding communities in Britain and most of Europe. When he couldn't find her, he went on to Australia, Africa, Asia, South America, and finally, North America.

He had almost lost hope a few years ago, but decided he would complete this world-wide journey just for his own sanity: so that he wouldn't have any regrets in his death bed for not searching the last corner of the world.

When he saw the witch standing in front of him that afternoon, however, he couldn't believe his eyes: she looked just like her: the same long mane of brown hair and the same soft brown eyes. But she couldn't be... she simply couldn't.

The last time he saw her was over sixty years ago. No matter how mature she had claimed herself to be, she was only nineteen. If this was her, she should have been almost eighty. But the young witch here in a small Northern California town couldn't even be older than thirty. He stole a few glances at her when she offered him tea. She was still the petite slender witch he had remembered, but the way she carried herself was quite different: her choice of words now diplomatic, and her every movement seemed nothing but confident and assured.

And the boy... the boy with black eyes and back hair... if he was his son, Severus would have expected him to be a middle-aged man.

Just as he thought his eyes had deceived him, however, she told him her name: Hermione, Hermione Prince. He almost forgot to breathe for a few minutes. Could this really be a coincidence? Could fate really be so cruel, sending him to the opposite end of the world, only to find a witch who looked like her, sounded like her, with a son bearing such similarity to his younger self?

Unable to make sense of this encounter, Severus did what he thought was best. He would stay here for a while and research. He wanted to get to know the witch and the boy. He needed to know: was she really the witch that was once his? Or could there possible be such a thing as reincarnation?

Severus was certain of one thing: he wouldn't go anywhere until he found his answers. He couldn't walk away from her, if this was truly her, again.

For the first time in years, Severus went to bed that night, feeling hopeful. The following morning couldn't arrive soon enough.

TBC

* * *

_**We have some very important developments to go through. Please be patient with me... :-)**_


	3. Underneath the Stars

**_A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews. Hugs and kisses for you all! And to my clever anonymous guest, I only borrowed the concept from the movie (yes you've got it!), but nothing else. So... no need to worry... this is a story with a happy ending... eventually! =) _**

**_Thank you Luna de Papel... again, for your amazingly feedback!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Three - Underneath the Stars**

"Have you heard the latest gossip in town?" Jenny asked as she cleaned the store-front windows with a wave of her wand.

"No," Hermione answered absentmindedly, as she added up the sales records for the day, "not yet. But I have a feeling I'm about to."

"Oh you are going to love this." Jenny smiled mischievously and came to Hermione's side. "Mimi Weinstock, our town's unofficial welcome wagon, rolled down the lane and paid a visit to our new celebrity neighbor."

"Not a surprise." Hermione didn't look up, "doesn't she do that to everyone? Eager to share her overbearing enthusiasm?"

"But this is Severus Snape we're talking about!" Jenny's smile broadened. "Don't you remember from reading the stories about the British Wizarding Wars? How should I put this… He's a serious man with extremely low tolerance for nonsense, especially when it comes to people who waste his time."

"So? Does Mimi even know who he is? Although the Statute of Secrecy is considered long-forgotten history, not many muggles truly know about our world. I didn't think Mimi knew much about wizards at all."

"No she didn't. She had no idea who Severus Snape was. But she did overhear him at the bakery and recognized his British accent. She immediately declared our town an international community."

"She tried to pull that one off when I first moved here," Hermione let out a small laugh, "trying to introduce me to all of her 'American' friends. She wouldn't stop treating me like a tourist until I told her I only traveled from San Francisco, a quick three-hour drive."

"Oh yes I remember that," Jenny nodded in agreement. "She was so disappointed when she realized you were not as foreign as she thought. Well, this time when she learned about Severus Snape being a British wizard, she thought she hit the jackpot! The very day when she met him in the bakery, she made an apple pie and went knocking on his door."

"Good for him. I hope he liked the pie. I remember it was around Halloween when we moved here. Mimi brought over a bucket full of candy corn to Toby. I'm quite sure that poor kid will never want to touch a candy corn ever again in his life," Hermione chuckled.

"Well let's just say... I don't think Severus Snape is very much a pie person." Jenny smirked at Hermione.

"Why do you say that?"

"According to good ol' Bob living down the street, Mimi didn't even get to finish her first sentence when that old wizard slammed the door in her face!"

Hermione shook her head and smiled as she imagined the astonished Mimi holding her pie like a life line and staring at Severus' door. She felt slightly guilty that she couldn't empathize with Mimi Weinstock. But as she thought of the woman's high-pitched voice and her syrupy tone, Hermione couldn't find a reason to blame Severus. He probably did everyone in the community a favor by showing her the door.

"Hopefully that would teach the woman a lesson about sticking her nose in other's business." Apparently Jenny was thinking exactly the same. The young witch looked at Hermione curiously for a few moments and asked, "Say… why do you think the old man is so friendly with you and Toby?"

"I have no idea." Hermione answered. "Maybe he got to know us first? Maybe he felt like home when talking to someone with a British accent? I don't' know... Maybe he's lonely?"

"Lonely?" Jenny laughed, "Lonely is obviously not his problem. He didn't even want to let Mimi finish her sentence, remember? He never visited anyone else since he moved here. I don't' think he likes people very much at all. The stories about him in the books must be right. I doubt 'friendly' is a word that should be associated with Severus Snape. I bet there's something really special about you that make it possible for the world's famous grumpy old man to get along with you."

Hermione simply shook her head and smiled at her friend's speculation.

She had been quietly observing the changes in her son since the wizard moved into their neighborhood three weeks earlier. Being able to call Severus Snape by his name seemed to have changed Toby's popularity at school. Half of the students, the ones who had heard of the wizard's history, began to treat the boy with great respect, although it was clear some did so completely out of fear. The other half of the students, who never had any problems being Toby's friends, now felt relieved to spend time with the boy, since he no longer had to worry about bullies' harassment.

"By the way, where is Toby?" Jenny looked at the clock and asked. "It's after four. I thought school is out by three."

"He's with Severus." Hermione answered casually and looked back down at her accounting records. "Toby's teacher mentioned something about the second growing season in Northern California last week. I told him we have no room in the yard for an herb garden. So he went straight to Severus and offered to start one for him. That turned out to be a great idea, as it just so happens that Severus was considering starting a garden to grow some of his potion ingredients. They've been working on that patch of soil in Severus' back yard for the past few days. Speaking of the devil..."

Hermione smiled at the door as she watched her dark-haired boy hurried in from outside.

"Where is my chess set mom?" Toby asked.

"Should be in your room." Hermione arched her brows. "Why? You never wanted to play since I got it for you for your seventh birthday. It should either be in your drawers or under your bed."

"Severus knows how to play." The boy answered as he ran up to his room. "He said he would show me some tricks."

Within minutes, Hermione and Jenny watched Toby hurried down the stairs, carrying his chess set and a few plastic boxes. "By the way mom, did you know Tobias is Severus' middle name? Did you name me after him?"

"No. Why would I do that?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Oh... just hoping." Toby said, "We were just talking about our names and Severus said Toby is a much better name than Tobias, because he never liked his middle name. I remember you telling me your parents probably named you after Harry Potter's friend, so I was hoping you also named me after a great wizard, but I kind of knew it wouldn't be the case. Why did you name me Toby anyway?"

"I just thought it was a nice name." Hermione shrugged. "There are probably hundreds if not thousands of Tobys in the world. Why don't you ask their parents why they like the name? And what on earth are you doing getting all those boxes out of the storage closet? Are you putting on a yard sale?"

"I'm going to show Severus my model airplanes." The boy didn't bother to stop in front of his mother as he ran out the door.

"Dinner is at six thirty Toby, don't be late!" Hermione called after him, but smiled as she watched her son skipping down the lane towards Severus' cabin.

"He seems so happy." Jenny commented quietly. "Congrats, Hermione. I think you found Toby a grandpa. Maybe that's what's special about you. Severus Snape doesn't need a friend, he wants to feel needed. And Toby needs someone like him."

Hermione smiled at her friend, but didn't say a word in reply.

She herself had been curious about why the door to the old wizard's cabin was always open for Toby. "Has Toby been bothering you?" She asked Severus politely one day. "I can talk to him and ask him to leave you alone if you'd like."

To her surprise the wizard replied it would not be necessary. When she asked him why he found the boy tolerable, Severus simply stated that the boy reminded him of his younger himself.

"But Toby is much more fortunate than me." He added, "At least he has a very caring and loving parent." Sending her a small smile he explained her unasked question. "Even though I did have a father in the house growing up, he was never interested in his family. All I can remember of him was his coming home drunk and getting into arguments with my mother, who never seemed to have much interest in me herself. Before I was old enough to run away from the house, I would always hide in my mother's wardrobe when they fought, praying some unknown magic could get me out of the house. But even magic couldn't help me." His voice trailed off, as his thoughts drifted to the distant past.

Hermione was beyond surprised when Severus began to share stories from his past. From listening to Jenny and Toby retelling the stories in the Harry Potter books, Hermione thought Severus Snape had always been a very private man. Could age change one by so much? She wasn't sure. But she appreciated the opportunity to get to know the old wizard, and slowly came to the realization that the man was only human. No matter how he impressed the wizarding world with his magical power and his contributions during the war, beneath the surface he was only a man who was once insecure, vulnerable, and even, dare she say, broken.

"If the Daily Prophet gets to talk to you about all the things I've shared with you," he sighed one day after telling her about his days at Hogwarts dealing with the Marauders, "make sure you ask for a good price in exchange for the information. I've never told anyone about those humiliating days."

"No, Severus." Hermione's eyes widened, "Why would you say such a thing? I would never tell anyone the stories you've shared with me!"

"No? Why not?" He looked at her searchingly, "I volunteered the information. You heard it from a neighbor. You have no obligation to keep secrets for me."

"But we are friends." She held his gaze and answered, "I will keep your secrets. That's what friends are for."

* * *

Knowing his mother was friends with the powerful wizard was happy news to Toby. The boy soon got use to paying his daily visit to the wizard after school and over the weekend. The two of them would work together in the garden when the weather was nice. If it's cold or rainy out, Toby would spend hours at a time in Severus' cabin reading the wizard's collection of books, or simply talking with him. After knowing the boy had learned some basic potion brewing, Severus even allowed Toby to give him a hand in his lab. Being able to enter the lab that belonged to the former Hogwarts Potions Master always excited Toby to no end.

Although Severus never cared to visit anyone else in town, he came to Hermione's store almost every day. He liked to stop by in the morning, when the boy was at school and the store was quiet without the tourists. She would always have a pot of his favorite black tea ready, waiting for him to sit by the window and enjoy with a fresh-baked croissant. Sometimes Severus would look at Hermione's merchandise and inquire about the magical quality of her homemade remedies. From time to time, he would offer some suggestions to improve the healing properties of her products. But most of the time when he visited her, he would just sit there, and listen to her talking about her days.

By the end of the season Severus became a family friend that neither Toby nor Hermione would imagine not having at the holiday dinner table. Jenny began to teasingly call him Toby's "adopted grandpa". Other than glaring at the blond witch, Severus didn't seem to object his new title.

It was a day in early April, when Jenny bounced into the store a little after noon. "Hermione!" She called cheerfully before sending a bright smile to Severus, who was sitting quietly by the window, with a cup of tea in his hand. "Hermione, do you have something pretty to wear?"

"What?" Hermione arched her brows, "Like a dress? I can probably dig one out from the closet. But I doubt it'll fit you. You are much taller than me."

"Not for me silly!" Jenny giggled. "For you! Listen, Ben just surprised me and came back for the weekend. His friend Justin is with him too. It's a double date! We were thinking about going to the city and check out a couple of clubs. Toby is old enough to stay home by himself, don't you think? "

"Jenny!" Hermione frowned, "How many times have I told you? I'm not interested in Ben's buddies!"

"But Justin is different!" Jenny protested, "One of his best friends in his neighborhood is a wizard. So he knows all about us. You probably can't remember but you've met him before, and you liked him! He's that engineer friend of Ben's, the one with glasses. He's the brainy type!"

"I know who you are talking about Jenny. I offered him some potions last time when he was in town because he was having a bad case of allergies. Me offering help doesn't mean I like him. Jenny! You've got to stop trying to set me up!"

"Oh you are no fun!" Jenny pouted. "I told Ben I'd introduce Justin to a witch and we'd fly to the city together. Now what do I do?"

"Now you get to help Justin find someone who actually _will_ be interested in him in the city." Hermione said pointedly. "And you know how I hate flying on a broom. Apparate with them. I'm sure they will find that thrilling."

Jenny shook her head disappointedly. Before she walked out the door she glanced over at Severus and said, "Maybe she'll listen to you, Grandpa. Tell her she needs a man in her life."

Hermione rolled her eyes as the blond witch left the store. Looking back at Severus she found the old wizard glaring at her.

"What?" She asked. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

His brows furrowed as he considered his answer, and then he said, "I could watch Toby until you get back if that's what you are worrying about..."

"Oh no no no." Hermione stopped him in mid-sentence. "Not you too, Severus." She sighed, "Please don't join forces with Jenny trying to set me up."

"Not at all." He took a sip of his tea and said under his breath, "That would've been the last thing I'd want to do." He then looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. "But you have to agree she does have a point. Don't you think you need someone in your life?"

She glared at him, with her lips pressed into a thin line. Shaking her head quickly, she didn't reply.

"Is it true... what Toby told me, that you can't remember your past? Did he, the man who left you, hurt you so bad that make you not want to consider another bloke's offer?" He asked, with his eyes locked on the tea pot in front of him.

"It's not like that." Hermione turned away and looked at a small potted orchid that Toby had given her for Christmas. After a long moment of silence she said, "I wish I could remember what happened before I passed out in the park in San Francisco. I can't remember anything about him. I have no idea if we had an argument or not when I was last with him. But there is something in my heart that tells me how important he was to me. It felt like he had always been a very big part of my life, until the day when we were separated. I know this sounds ridiculous, but even though I can't remember anything about him, I can't simply forget him. And I don't think there is anyone who can just come into my life and replace him. Am I even making any sense, Severus? Can a person love someone so much for so long, after so many years?"

He looked at her intensely as he listened to her every word. When she finally stopped he looked back down at the tea cup in his hand. "Of course, Hermione. Love is a very strange thing."

"By the way," She suddenly remembered something, "please don't laugh at me, but I admit I was curious about you and I read you up in Toby's books." She got up to her feet from behind the counter and asked in a hesitant voice, "You are skilled at Legilimency, aren't you? Do you think... If you could..."

"No." He answered before she could finish her question. "No, Hermione. That would not help anything." Without another word, the old wizard murmured a thank you for the tea, and left.

She was, indeed, not the first one who had thought about using Legilimency to look into her past. When Severus first heard about Hermione's lost memory from Toby, he had contemplated using the magic, but he soon decided against it. The more he got to know her, the more certain he became, that she was indeed the Hermione Granger he once knew. However, confirming his suspicion did not seem to be the solution to his quest, but rather, a dreadful alternative. If that was the case, what good would it do to confirm it? He would still be seventy years older than her. She would still be a young mother who had to raise her son on her own. The truth would not change anything. The truth could not turn back time.

Neither Severus nor Hermione brought up the conversation about using Legilimency to regain Hermione's memory again. They went on with their daily routine, continuing their friendly discussions every day. Toby often became the center of their conversations. One day, their discussion came upon the magical school that Toby would attend as soon as he turned eleven.

"Have you considered sending him to Hogwarts when he turns eleven?" Severus asked.

"He would be so thrilled if he gets to go to Hogwarts." Hermione answered, "But I don't know... He was born here. I can't remember knowing anyone in the UK... How would I even have him registered there? And it'll cost a lot more than going to school here in the US..."

"Let me look into it." Severus simply answered, "I shall owl Longbottom in the morning."

The boy himself was not at all aware of the two adults' discussions about his magical education. He was making lots of friends at school and had excelled in every subject by the time he became a fourth grader. He ran into his mother's store one September afternoon, with great excitement in his voice.

"Mom!" He called, and smiled broadly when he noticed an old wizard sitting by the window. "Hi Severus." He greeted his neighbor like an old friend. "Do you guys know there is a meteor shower tomorrow night? The best time and place to watch it is right here at 3am local time! Can we camp out and watch it, mom? Please?"

"Well," Hermione frowned as she considered her son's request, "We have a big oak tree in our yard, sweetie. I doubt you can see the stars from there. And even though it's 3 o'clock in the morning, I don't think camping out in the middle of the street is very safe. Can we just look up the pictures on the Internet?" She asked apologetically.

Before Toby could react to the disappointing news, a smooth velvet voice chimed in. "You are welcome to come to my garden for the observation if you like. Both of you are invited, of course. I have plenty of room."

* * *

When Hermione and Toby arrived at Severus' garden at three o'clock the following morning, they found three sleeping bags already set up on three oversized lawn chairs on top of the small deck.

"Would this arrangement be acceptable?" The old wizard came out from the cabin and welcomed his guests.

"More than acceptable, Severus. This is so kind of you." Hermione smiled as she set three mugs on a small table at the edge of the deck. With a small wave of her wand, she filled the mugs with steamy hot chocolate.

The autumn nights in the Sierra Mountains were chilly and brisk. Sitting in his sleeping bag and sipping the hot chocolate, Toby couldn't hide the big grin in his face as he watched the stars in the sky.

"Look, Toby," Severus pointed towards the northern sky. "Follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper, can you see the brightest star? That is Arcturus. Watch carefully, the meteor shower is from the same Bootes Constellation..."

The wizard's velvet voice pulled Hermione deeper into a magical night under the starry sky. She wanted to follow his instruction and look into the heavens above. However, her eyes simply could not peel away from Toby. The boy's face was beaming with joy; she didn't think any of the stars could be more beautiful than this sight.

After trying to count the shooting stars in the following hour, the excited boy finally fell silent. Looking at her son's sleeping form Hermione softly addressed Severus, "thank you so much having us. Believe it or not, I don't think I've ever had a chance to observe a meteor shower myself. That was amazing. It's getting late. I'll get Toby home so that you can get some sleep."

"Late?" He stopped her before she could wake up the boy. "Perhaps early is more accurate? Morning is only a couple of hours away. Are you cold?"

"No, not at all." She smiled at him, "You have some very warm sleeping bags."

"I added a few extra warming charms." He smirked at her and said, "If you are not opposed to camping under a starry sky, you are welcome to stay."

She looked at Toby one more time and back at her neighbor, "Thank you. I think I'll take the offer."

She settled back into her sleeping bag and returned her gaze back at the stars, but found it difficult to fall asleep. Wondering if she was the only one awake, she looked over at the wizard and whispered, "are you asleep?"

"No." He answered quietly. "There is too much on my mind. Watching the stars is more relaxing than forcing my mind to shut down."

She smiled at the stars. She thought for a few moments, and finally brought up the courage to ask him the one question that she had always been curious to know. "Severus, can I ask you a question?"

He let out a small chuckle that confused her slightly. Shaking his head slowly he said, "have I ever been able to stop you from asking questions?"

She frowned at his words, unable to understand his reference. She didn't think she asked him many questions at all. _Perhaps he confuses me with Toby_, she thought to herself and smiled. "Well... I always wonder if the stories are true... Do you think of her often? Do you miss her?"

"Who?" His voice lost the playful tone. Turning towards her, he looked at her intensely with his dark eyes.

"Lily, of course." She arched her brows.

She watched in amazement as he let out a deep sigh and returned his attention back to the stars. "I get that question a lot." He said. "And I never bother answering them."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She whispered, feeling ashamed for being intrusive.

"But I'll answer yours," he suddenly said, surprising her greatly. "The people who wrote those books only knew so much, Hermione. There was so much more they didn't know. Lily was my best friend for a very long time, when we were children. But people change. They grow up; they meet other people; they make other friends. Lily and I grew apart. So that's that."

"I knew it." She murmured.

"What do you mean?" He couldn't follow. "What did you know?"

"I knew the historians had to add something extra to make the stories sound more romantic. Well, but they did make it sound quite convincing. If it wasn't because of your love for her, why did you do all the things you did for Dumbledore? What kept you going all those years, working as a double-agent, risking your life?"

"Why did I do it? In the beginning it was simple, Hermione. I did owe it to Lily. My mistake cost her life." He sighed. "As far as what kept me going, well, the books did get part of the story right. It was, indeed, love."

"But not love for Lily?" She leaned on her elbow and looked at the old wizard curiously.

"No, there was someone else." He answered quietly. "She gave me a reason to fight, and a reason to live."

"Who was that?" Her eyes widened.

He fell silent. A long moment later he shook his head and said, "I don't think you'd understand."

She took it as a hint that he didn't want to discuss the topic further, and retreated back into the warmth of the sleeping bag. "Thanks Severus," she said quietly, "for sharing your stories with me."

He lay next to her quietly, without acknowledging her words. A very long moment later he suddenly asked, "you really don't hate him?"

"Who?" Hermione was slightly startled by the question.

"The irresponsible man who left you raising your son by yourself." It was merely a whisper.

"How can you be so sure that he left me?" Hermione countered. She smiled at him when he looked at her with surprise.

"I thought you said you couldn't remember?" He asked tentatively.

"I don't." She shrugged. "But that doesn't mean what you said is true." She pulled the sleeping bag up a little bit to cover her shoulders. "We might have had an argument. We might have done something wrong. We might not be right for each other. Who knows? But no matter what the circumstances were, he did one thing right. He gave me Toby, my baby." She smiled warmly towards the sleeping boy. "This is the best gift in the world I could ever ask for."

"So you forgive him?" He asked.

"I never said I blamed him." She answered.

Silence returned between them, until he finally said, "he's a very lucky man."

She smiled at the stars and closed her eyes. The warmth of the sleeping bag and the wizard's warming charm slowly pulled her into the land of dreams, leaving Severus looking at the stars and lost in his own thoughts.

"I wish I was brave enough to look into your past," he murmured.

But she wasn't awake to hear his words.

TBC

* * *

**_Okay who am I kidding... the Severus and Hermione in this chapter are very out of character, aren't they? Yes I know... I did it on purpose. Please remember that Hermione is now a single mother with a nine-year-old son, and Severus is an old man approaching 100. Too many things in life had happened and changed their personality (that's the reason I'm clinging onto anyway). But I promise you our snarly professor and the insufferable know-it-all will soon re-appear again. I can only hope you will eventually understand why I am spending so much time lingering on these chapters providing the "background" information. =)_**


	4. Come Back to Me

**_A/N: Thank you for staying with me all the way there. Your reviews and messages warm my heart. I appreciate your support and encouragement! The beginning of the story was a bit depressing, wasn't it? Well, love is not always rainbows and roses and butterfly kisses, unfortunately. _**

**_But now...if you are ready... may I invite you to take a leap of faith and follow me down a different path? The mood of the plot will lighten up (tremendously) starting from the latter part of the chapter below, even though it might not look like it for a while... Also, one (or two) big revelation(s) will be made in the chapter. Look out for it (them)! =)_**

**_And thank you Luna de Papel... for always be there for me!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Four - Come Back to Me**

It was the week after Thanksgiving, a few months after Jenny and Ben's engagement party, when the happy couple invited Toby to join them and Ben's two nephews on a week-long ski trip to Lake Tahoe. Toby had been to the slopes a few times with Hermione, but had never stayed overnight at a ski resort with friends.

"Please mom!" Toby was practically begging, "Ben's nephews are really cool! We've been talking about trying out skateboarding. Please mom, I really want to go!"

Hermione never felt so reluctant when Toby went on school organized camping trips in the past. She quickly realized her hesitation came from her recent conversation with Severus, when the old wizard informed her that he had made arrangements for Toby to attend Hogwarts the following September. She couldn't get used to the idea that her little baby now being an independent young wizard who would soon be ready to leave her for a faraway place. Because of that fear for the separation, the short distance to the ski resort felt unreasonably far for her.

But Hermione was a rational mother. She recognized the causes of her worries and put a stopper to her own emotions. She agreed to the boy's pleads, packed his bags, and sent him over to Jenny's place in the morning of their trip.

When she came back to her store, she sat down behind the counter, suddenly feeling lost and empty. What would life be like for her, by herself like this every day?

Just as she was contemplating her future, her famous neighbor entered the store.

"It's a bit quieter than usual, isn't it?" he asked casually. She only nodded in reply. Observing her quietly for a few moments, Severus seemed to guess what was bothering her. "He's a big boy, Hermione. He'll take care of himself. And when the time comes, I have no doubt he'll make you proud."

She smiled at him sadly, and nodded again. "Thanks Severus. It's just... It feels like I'm beginning to lose my baby. He's growing up... too soon. I can't imagine what it'll be like without him around."

"Consider this the beginning of a new adventure for you, then." The wizard settled in his usual chair by the window. A few moments later he asked, "may an old man offer to take his neighbor and good friend to a casual dinner, and perhaps, some entertainment at a muggle movie theater afterwards?"

Hermione arched an eyebrow at Severus for a moment, before smirking at him mischievously. "As long as this is not your attempt to ask me out on a date."

"I would never dare." He drawled. "Only a dunderhead would ever bring up such a touchy subjects with a feisty witch like you," he added, "and I certainly am not one of them."

She broke into a small laugh, and informed the elder wizard he got himself an evening to plan.

* * *

Hermione spent an embarrassing amount of time later that day searching for a suitable outfit to wear to the evening affair. It had been a long time since she last went out like this. She remembered having a few movie nights out in the city with a couple of her girlfriends after leaving Toby, who was still a baby, with one of her friends' mother. Life had become so much more demanding since she started her own business. Perhaps Severus was right, she thought as she examined all of her options in the closet. Maybe it was indeed time for her to start getting used to a new life style, and find a new center to focus on after Toby left for Hogwarts.

She finally settled for a dress she bought years ago at a department store in downtown San Francisco. She was working on an apprenticeship at a nearby Apothecary, and only bought it because of an irresistible deal offered by the store. The garment was a long-sleeved V-neck dress that came down right above her knees. She couldn't help smiling at herself proudly as she looked into the mirror: after so many years, the dress still hugged her body elegantly; and the dark violet complemented her brown eyes perfectly. After putting her hair up using a few charms, she began digging into her jewelry box for a necklace that would go with her silver earrings. Not being used to getting dressed up, Hermione found it frustrating looking for the proper accessories. She should probably pay more attention to Jenny next time the young witch tried to interest her in an exchange about fashion.

Her fingers came upon a silver chain at the bottom of her jewelry box. Tugging on the chain gently, Hermione found what she needed: at the end of the chain was a moonstone pendant, with the tear-drop shaped gem gracefully presented in a classic silver setting.

Hermione smiled at the simple but elegant necklace around her neck like an old friend. How could she forget...

Other than her wand, the necklace was the only other valuable item on her when she woke up in a park with no memories about herself. She had spent hours studying every detail of the pendant, hoping it'd offer some answers about her past. Unfortunately, other than a very small print of the word "Prince" in the back of the pendant, the necklace revealed nothing. Since no "prince" ever came to claim her, Hermione had decided to use it as her family name.

But that was more than ten years ago. Hermione had almost forgotten about the necklace, and wouldn't have tonight if not because she needed something to complete her ensemble for the evening. She was only thankful that she stumbled upon the beautiful piece right when she needed it.

Just as she was putting on her lip gloss, she heard the front door opened and closed.

"Severus, is that you? I'm almost ready." She called towards downstairs.

"Take your time," came his velvet voice. "I'm not in any hurry."

"So, what are our plans for the night?" She asked as she slipped into her black suede pumps and gathered a few things into a matching handbag.

"I went over to Roy's Steak House this afternoon and got us a reservation at seven," he answered. "When I was there, the waitress mentioned they will have live jazz performed in their courtyard tonight. I thought perhaps I would ask you for a dance."

"Really? I didn't know you can dance," she commented as she headed down the steps.

"Indeed, it's been years," he replied. "I am, without a doubt, very rusty. Hopefully I can still manage a couple of..." He stopped in mid-sentence as he saw her appearing at the landing. "Hermione..." he whispered her name as he took in the image of the witch in front of him.

She smiled at him shyly. "I hope I'm not overdressed... I'm not used to going out, you know. And I thought..."

"No..." He stopped her with an assuring smile. "You look absolutely... amazing, just like how you looked..." his voice trailed off as his eyes followed her silver earrings down to the moonstone pendant dangling down her neck; and the smile in his face suddenly froze.

Hermione watched in horror as the old wizard suddenly clenched a hand to his chest. His legs buckled and he fell to the floor. Letting out a gasp she ran to his side, just in time to catch him from hitting his head. "Severus! What's wrong? Is it your heart? Oh my god. No no no... Stay with me... Accio phone!"

Hermione spent the next few minutes screaming frantically at the 911 dispatcher and the paramedics. Everything around her seemed to have lost its focus. She followed the ambulance to the local hospital, and soon found herself pacing anxiously in the waiting area outside the emergency room.

"Miss Prince?" It felt like ages before a young doctor came to the hall looking for her. He introduced himself as Dr. Lee, who had been caring for Severus. Hermione followed him nervously into his office, wondering why he wouldn't answer all of her questions about Severus in the lobby.

"It appears Mr. Snape suffered a heart attack. We performed the necessary procedures to stabilize him, but it would be more beneficial if we perform an additional surgery. If you agree to us performing the procedures, we have some paperwork for you to sign. And if that's the case, I will make arrangements for the surgery to take place tomorrow morning."

"Paperwork? For me to sign?" Hermione's eyes widened. "Can't you just do whatever you need to do and save his life?"

"Like I said Miss Prince, Mr. Snape's condition has been stabilized," the doctor went on patiently. "For further procedures, we do need a family member's consent, since the patient himself is not available to make such determination."

"Family member?" Hermione arched her eyebrows. "I don't know if Severus has any family members, especially not around here. And I'm only his neighbor."

"Oh," he gave her a baffled look. After reading through what appeared to be medical records on a computer screen he nodded, "I see. I apologize for the confusion. I shouldn't have assumed. But we do have a medical power of attorney signed by Mr. Snape here, authorizing you as his designated agent. And the relationship is... the trustee and primary beneficiary of his estate," Dr. Lee quoted from the screen.

"You made him fill out a form? Just now?" Hermione was getting more and more confused by the minute.

"Oh no, not today." Dr. Lee shrugged. "Inquiring about our patient's preference in selecting a designated agent is a routine practice for our elderly patients. Mr. Snape had the form filled out when he was here a few months ago for his liver condition." Seeing Hermione's surprised expression he added, "You are aware of his liver condition, aren't you?"

There suddenly seemed to be too much information for Hermione to process. She was his authorized agent? Trustee? His Estate? He was here before? "What liver condition?" She suddenly found her voice again. "There must be a mistake. Severus Snape is not just anyone. He's a... a wizard." She hesitated, not sure if Dr. Lee was one of those open-minded people who knew about their world.

"Miss Prince, I am well aware of that." Dr. Lee sighed. "Mr. Snape had a discussion with me about this last time when he was here. I supposed he chose to see me because of some of the research I've done in understanding the medical properties of potions created in the wizarding world."

"Well, it sounds like you should know what you are talking about then." She frowned, "wouldn't it be wise to transfer him to a healer trained in the wizarding world and treat him with the appropriate potions or magical devises?"

"No magic can fight against the passing of time." The young doctor replied quietly. "I'm sorry Miss Prince, but Mr. Snape is at a very advanced age."

"I thought you knew about wizards." She narrowed her eyes. "Wizards have an impressive lifespan and a hundred years of age is not a big deal."

"It shouldn't be, if we were talking about a wizard who'd lived a normal life, and treated his body with proper care." Dr. Lee countered. "Mr. Snape, however, seemed to have endured significant trauma to his nervous system when he was younger. And it appears his alcohol consumption has always exceeded the recommended limit."

"But..." She wanted to argue.

"Miss Prince." The doctor stopped her politely, "Mr. Snape was very aware of his conditions. Perhaps that's why he came here to see me for his liver condition instead of traveling to the well-known wizarding hospital in Oregon. From your reaction I am guessing he hasn't had a chance to explain his plans to you . May I suggest that you be patient with him, and hold your questions for him to answer when he recovers? The surgery I mentioned will not make him any younger, but will definitely help his heart. I am very confident in our technology."

Hermione sank deep into the chair in silence, trying to make sense of everything. Finally she made up her mind and signed the consent. "May I see him?" She asked before leaving the doctor's office.

"Certainly." Dr. Lee opened the door for her, "he's asleep now. You can ask one of the nurses to take you to his room. And if you like, you can also go home for the night and come back in the morning before the surgery. It looks like you can at least change into some comfortable shoes?" He gave her a friendly smile as she walked out the door towards the nurses' station.

Hermione found Severus sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed. There wasn't a sound in the small recovery room, other than the beeping of the machines indicating the wizard's slow and calm heartbeats. Gently tracing the crease between his brows, the young witch wondered just how much she didn't know about the old wizard lying before her. His eyelids fluttered slightly as he felt her touches. Slowly he opened his eyes and reached for her hand with his.

She caught his fingers and pulled his hand to her cheek. "You'll be better soon, Severus. I'll make sure of that." She smiled at him sadly.

He looked at her longingly for a very long moment, before pulling his hand out of hers to slowly trace a finger along her jaw and down her chin. Finally, he gently placed his fingertip on her moonstone pendant. "Hermione," he murmured, "come back to me."

"I will." She picked up his hand again and whispered softly. "I'm going home to change, and will be back real soon. I'll see you in the morning okay?"

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, and only nodded in reply.

* * *

A while later Hermione found herself wandering down the country lane alone. It was two o'clock in the morning, or the night, depending on how one should call it. As she walked by Severus' cabin she stopped her footsteps, and looked towards her own house in a short distance. Toby wasn't home; and that was probably a good thing. Hermione thought she could at least take a little time to think about how to approach the boy about Severus' condition. But without her son home, she didn't have much desire to go back there, either. Instead, she walked up the steps to the front door of Severus' cabin.

She watched his wards drop as she murmured his password.

He had given her his password to the cabin when he left for a short trip to London earlier that year. She never thought much of the gesture, since people in their community often left their house keys with a neighbor when they went on vacation. But after the events earlier that night, she began to wonder if that was when he made the arrangements for Toby's enrollment at Hogwarts, and completed the paperwork in making her the trustee of his estate.

Why would he entrust her with his estate? Hermione couldn't understand.

They had become close friends, she must admit. It didn't really surprise her when she was told he had her down as a designated agent to make decisions for his medical care. But making her in charge of his estate seemed to be too much for a friend. They had known each other only for the past couple of years. Shouldn't he know someone from all those previous years that he could bequest? What did he see in her? And what did she see in him? She began to ask herself the question as she entered his cabin.

She always felt comfortable being around him, ever since the day when they first met. She couldn't understand what Jenny meant when the young witch said Severus Snape was once an intimidating professor. Hermione never found him intimidating, even considering his most sarcastic comments. Instead, he seemed to the only one who could always understand her. He listened to her. He gave her advice: about her business, her son, and her own life. He was simply so willing to always be there for her.

Slowly she wandered into his bedroom. The silver moonlight cast a soft glow over his four-poster bed. Next to his bed was an antique mahogany wardrobe. She could see the delicate carving under the moonlight, adding a sense of mystery to the old piece of furniture. Hermione wondered if this was his mother's wardrobe, the one he said he used to hide in when he was a small boy.

Tracing the carving on the wooden door, Hermione's finger soon came upon the small metal handle. Giving it a small pull, she opened the wardrobe, revealing a couple of Severus' traveling cloaks. Curious about what it was like for the young Severus to hide in the wardrobe, Hermione climbed inside and sat in the corner.

The inside of the wardrobe was unexpectedly comfortable. It was quiet and warm. Leaning against his traveling cloak, she could distinctly smell the scent of mint and sandalwood, which seemed to swiftly sooth her mind. She felt as if he was right there next to her, taking away all her worries. _Just a few minutes,_ she thought to herself, and closed her eyes for a moment of rest after a very long night.

* * *

_Jenny should never be allowed in my bedroom._ That was the first thought in Hermione's mind before she opened her eyes. She was not pleased to have her comfortable slumber ended by some girls' noisy chattering. Cracking open a corner of her eyes Hermione caught sight of part of the railings of a four-poster bed. _Hmm... Where am I?_ She closed her eyes again and frowned. Slowly the night before came back to her. _Did I crawl into Severus' bed without remembering? _She moaned. _But wait... there are curtains!_ She didn't remember any curtains on Severus' four-poster.

Hermione's eyes shot open as she sat bolt upright. She found herself in the middle of a comfortably large four-poster bed, with maroon curtains drawn around the railings. Young girls' happy chattering was loud and clear from the other side of the curtains. Then there was a girl calling, "Hermione! Did I just hear you? Are you still in bed? Time to get up!" One side of the curtain was suddenly pulled open, letting bright sunlight pouring through, briefly blinding Hermione's vision. She raised a hand to cover her eyes. "Ginny was looking for you earlier. You were so quiet in there I thought you'd left already. You may want to hurry up and go find her in the Great Hall."

Squinting her eyes to find her focus, Hermione saw a teenage girl with braided black hair talking to her.

"Parvati?" She murmured with a frown. This had to be a dream, a very strange dream. But how did she know the girl's name? Her frown deepened._ Oh of course,_ she suddenly wanted to laugh at herself. _If this is my dream then certainly I know the names of the people I am including in it._ Her smile widened as she continued looking at the girl in front of her.

"Of course I'm Parvati. Padma doesn't sleep here Hermione. You wouldn't look so smug if we really wanted to confuse you." The girl sounded slightly annoyed as she picked up her school bag and ran out the door.

Hermione soon realized the room was getting very quiet. The girls she heard earlier had all left, clad in what appeared to be their school uniforms. Suddenly getting the feeling that she was about to be late for something important, Hermione jumped out of bed and began to get ready. It was as if she was on auto pilot. Almost by instinct she seemed to know where everything was in the bathroom and what she needed to do. Within minutes she found herself climbing out of a portrait hole and walking down a castle's corridor among many other uniformed students.

"Herm-own-ninny!" She suddenly heard a boy calling. _What a funny name._ She thought to herself. But before she could slow down and look around, an athletic-looking young man ran to her side. "Viktor?" The name rolled down her tongue. Of course, this had to be another character from her dream.

"Good morning Herm-own-ninny," the young man began slightly awkwardly. "Would you like to come with me to the upcoming Yule Ball next month? It would be a great honor to have you as my date."

Hermione couldn't help but break into a small laugh. Goodness, even in her dreams Jenny wouldn't give up on trying to pair her up with Ben's Marine Corp buddies. Since this was a dream, Hermione thought mischievously, she might as well play along and see what could happen if she agreed to such a date. "Sure," she answered. "That sounds like fun."

It looked as if her answer brought the young man great relief. He beamed at her with excitement sparkling in his eyes.

"Just make sure you get me out of there before my carriage turns into a pumpkin," she added. If this was to be her dream, she'd make sure she'd be treated like a princess.

"You're funny." Viktor smiled warmly at her, before saluting her with a tap of the heels of his military style boots.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief as the young man ran away to join his friends waiting in the distance. _It's amazing how your dreams reflect the reality._ She considered the encounter. _Although I never thought the Marines saluted that way..._

Her contemplation was cut short when she entered the Great Hall. She quickly spotted a young girl in red hair waving at her at a far table. _That's Ginny._ She said to herself, happy to recognize another name in her dream world.

"Hi Hermione, where were you?" The red-haired girl greeted her as Hermione sat down next to her. "I went to the library and couldn't find you there."

"I was in bed when you were looking for me." Hermione remembered what Parvati told her. "Where are we anyway?"

"Huh?" Ginny was taken aback by the question. "What do you mean? We are in the Great Hall? At Hogwarts? Sitting at Gryffindor table? You sound funny this morning Hermione. Did you hit your head somewhere?"

"Of course not." Hermione shook her head, feeling slightly confused. Why was she at Hogwarts? Could her worries about Toby leaving her for school be the reason for this dream? "But there is one thing I'm quite sure of. I know I'm hungry." She mumbled, "I didn't have dinner last night."

"Yes you did." A dark-haired boy wearing glasses sat down next to her. "You had dinner with us last night right here, silly. Don't you remember?"

"Hermione," before Hermione could address the dark-haired boy, a red-haired boy sat down opposite from her across the table. "Me and Harry want to talk to you..."

"It's 'Harry and I'", Hermione corrected him as she picked up a piece of toast and started spreading it with strawberry marmalade.

"See what I'm saying, she is beginning to sound like my mum!" The red-haired boy exclaimed.

"Well, Hermione," the dark-haired boy ignored his friend's complaints to return to topic, "Ron and I are sorry about our behaviors. We didn't mean to make it so difficult for you..."

"Yes," Ron chimed in, "what Harry wanted to say is... er... we shouldn't have treated you like an owl."

Hermione frowned at the boys named Ron and Harry. They were obviously referring to something she didn't seem to recall. But she subconsciously knew she was close to both of them, as well as the girl named Ginny. Maybe they were not just made up characters in her dream. Maybe she was beginning to remember her past. Could they be her close friends growing up?

"Would you please say something?" Harry looked at her with great concern.

"She's not quite herself this morning." Ginny got up from her seat. "But I've got to go. Can't be late for transfiguration. Keep an eye on her alright? Catch you later Hermione!"

Hermione nodded at Ginny quickly and turned her attention back to Harry. "You are my friend." She stated firmly.

"And I am too, right?" Ron leaned over the table and asked.

"That's right. Ron is also my friend." Hermione took a small bite of her toast, trying to sort out all the things she had just remembered.

"Well, since we are friends," Ron's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "could you please give us a hand tonight with the potions essay? It's due in two days but we haven't a clue where to start."

"Give you a hand?" She arched a brow, "Don't expect me to write it for you, Ronald. But I can certainly look it over for you."

"That'd be great." Harry smiled brightly at her as he began to get up from his seat. "That's all we need anyway. But we'd better get going now."

"You're supposed to help me convince her to help us a bit more than just looking over our essays!" Ron began to protest as he too got up from his seat. "Oh well, I guess it's going to be a long night then. Are you coming Hermione? Don't give the greasy git another excuse to dock our points."

"Greasy git?" Hermione's eyes widened. "Who's the greasy git?"

"Snape, of course." Harry frowned at her. "Are you really okay today? Ginny was right, you sound funny."

"Severus?" Hermione broke into a bright smile. "We are going to see Severus?"

"Blimey," Ron gasped, "there is definitely something wrong with her. Maybe you should go to the hospital wing and see Madam Pomfrey."

"No no no. I'm perfectly fine!" Hermione quickly washed down her toast with a few gulps of pumpkin juice. She hadn't felt so excited since she "woke up" in this dream. If there was anything she could accomplish by having this crazy dream, it would have to be getting to know the mysterious wizard that had been her dear friend for the past couple of years, and who was, as she still remembered, waiting for her in his hospital bed. While the world around her seemed to be outright crazy, she was sure Severus would make everything better. Yes, even in her dreams she knew she could count on him. He always understood her, and had always been there for her.

With the two boys trailing behind, Hermione ran down the corridors towards the dungeons, couldn't wait to see the wizard who was supposed to be her Potions Master in this all too bizarre dream.

* * *

**_Is it a dream or reality? Isn't it all up for interpretation?_**


	5. Miss Granger's Nightmare

**_A/N: Ah... the wardrobe... No, I'm sorry... it won't work like the one in the Chronicles of Narnia. But yes it has its unique importance. And yes... Somewhere in Time was the inspiration (good job my clever friends). But no, I don't plan on making anyone cry at the end of the story. Only happy tears will be allowed. =)_**

**_Luna de Papel... thank you for being my beta... and making everything better!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Five - Miss Granger's Nightmare**

Hermione sat anxiously waiting for the appearance of the wizard she had grown to know so well and care about so much. She wondered how she should behave in front of him, now that he was supposed to be her professor in this very strange dream. She looked around the classroom, noticing herself among a group of teenagers sitting solemnly at their desks. _What has he done to turn a group of unruly teenagers into such well-behaved students? _She wondered.

Suddenly a swirl of strong wind blew into the classroom. The door flung open and in came a tall and lean wizard dressed completely in black. He took several quick long strides down the aisle and soon reached the front of the classroom. With a flick of his wand, curtains were drawn and the classroom door was slammed shut by itself.

_Wow, what an entrance, _Hermione thought to herself as she watched the wizard in amazement. As her eyes followed him walking past her desk, she heard him say coldly, "five points for gaping."

Hermione heard a few gasps around her. Eyes widened, she realized her mouth was wide open. Quickly she closed her mouth, but couldn't peel her eyes from the Potions Master.

The wizard's medium-length straight black hair came right above his shoulders. His pale skin was quite a contrast to his black attire. There seemed to be a hundred buttons down his fitted coat. His black robe billowed behind him as he paced in front of the class, with his arms folded across his chest. As he scanned across the room he somehow managed to silence the place even more, as if his unforgiving glare alone managed to even subdue everyone's breath. And that was when Hermione met his deep dark eyes, and immediately recognized the man she had considered a dear friend for the past two years. The only difference was that the wizard in front of her now was so much younger, and so much more serious. This was, indeed, the intimidating Professor Snape. But to Hermione, it was only a relief to see her good friend so lively again.

With her eyes glued to the Potions Master, she broke into a teary smile. A few tear drops escape down her cheeks.

"Five points for peculiar display of unwanted emotions in class." The professor frowned as he growled towards her.

She raised her brows and let out a chuckle. "That was a bit unexpected," she said quietly.

The Potions Master's displeasure was clearly evident in his face. He narrowed his eyes at the girl and snarled, "ten points for disrespectful comments and interrupting the class."

"But sir, you haven't started the lecture yet." Harry voiced his observation bitterly, while sending Hermione a warning glare.

"Really, Mr. Potter?" The professor's attention turned to the young wizard, "I believe a class is started as soon as the teacher enters the classroom. Twenty points for speaking out of turn!"

Hermione didn't seem to be bothered by the points quickly taken away from the Gryffindor house. All she could feel was joy, from hearing Severus' voice again in this strange place. She continued to smile warmly at Severus, taking in his youthful appearance.

The Potions Master narrowed his eyes at her again, but didn't say anything. He turned away from her and began his lecture. "Turn to page 846..." His velvet voice rang across the quiet classroom.

Hermione soon recognized the girding potion that Severus was lecturing on this particular day. She recalled brewing the potion years ago when she worked at the Apothecary. She could recite the ingredients and brewing process in her sleep. However, listening to Severus' words was a completely different experience from learning how to brew the potion through reading a book. Hermione was quickly mesmerized by his cool smooth voice. Without knowing it, she was watching the every move of her Potions Master with a big silly grin in her face. Her serious professor, however, didn't seem to appreciate her attention at all. He only glared at her coldly in return.

Unable to understand the wizard's strange reaction to her friendly gesture, Hermione decided her dream was getting too far from reality, and turned her attention away from the Potions Master. Looking to her left, she saw Harry and Ron sitting next to each other, clearly daydreaming about something far away from the potions classroom. _That's why they don't have a clue about where to start with their essays._ Hermione frowned. Turning to her right, she saw a chubby young wizard watching the professor with fearful eyes. _Neville_. She decided that was the boy's name. It was obvious to her that Neville was so worried about being called on by the teacher; not a word from the lecture was getting to him.

Hermione's frown deepened as she looked around the classroom. From the look of most students, she couldn't tell if they were pretending or really paying attention to the class. _I wonder if Toby would have classmates like them, s_he thought to herself. _How am I going to find out if he's paying attention at school? I've never heard Severus mention any parent-teacher conferences at Hogwarts..._

"I can hardly tell which one of you is still awake." Suddenly, the velvet voice changed its tone. "After listening to the properties of all of the ingredients, can any one of you tell me what the purpose is to brew the girding potion?" His question was answered by complete silence in the room. "I suppose no one can answer this better than the little know-it-all? Miss Granger?"

_The Granger girl may be in trouble now._ Hermione thought to herself as she scanned the classroom looking for the professor's target.

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione heard the anger in Severus voice. Just as she began to wonder who the distracted girl was, she realized everyone around her was staring towards her direction. Suddenly, a very small voice in her head seemed to be talking to her: _I think he's calling on me!_

Letting out a gasp Hermione looked back at Severus with a startle. "Oh I'm so sorry... were you talking to me?" She asked politely.

"Twenty points for not paying attention in class!" The Potions Master snarled.

"I _was_ paying attention," she argued. "I heard your question perfectly well. I just didn't realize you were asking me to answer."

"Twenty points for talking back," he barked.

A sharp pain ran up Hermione's leg as she was attacked by a blunt kick under the table. Sending Ron a death glare Hermione looked back at her teacher. "Alright, I apologize... But let me prove my point: you were asking the purpose of the girding potion. Well, the potion can increase endurance. If brewed properly, a vial or two can increase one's endurance for a few weeks." She smiled smugly as she gave the perfect answer to the professor. Her voice was calm and pleasant, just like the way she greeted her old friend every morning.

"Insufferable..." the Potions Master growled, "thirty points for your cheek!"

"Hey!" She got up from her seat and frowned at the wizard, "you asked the question and I answered. Why do you have to behave so unreasonably? You don't have to be so snarly just because you want to prove Jenny's point, you know? I never believed her anyway. There is really no reason for you to play out this terrible side of yourself. Snap out of it, would you?" _This dream is getting a bit out of control_, she thought to herself.

She could almost hear Severus clenching his teeth as the wizard staring at her with a murderous glare. "Detention! For the rest of the week!" He sneered, "perhaps that's what you need to understand the proper behavior inside the classroom."

"Professor," Harry raised his hand and used his most sincere voice, "sir, please. Hermione hasn't been herself all morning. We think someone cursed her or slipped something in her drink..."

"Oh, don't be silly Harry." Hermione glanced over at the dark-haired boy with a small chuckle, "no one did anything to me, and all I drank was pumpkin juice at breakfast. But this is really getting out of hand." She rested one hand on her hip and pointed a finger right at Severus, "I have to say I'm very disappointed to have to get to know you through such a nightmare. And what did you just say?" She grimaced, "did you just say detention? What kind of school is this? Who gives detentions these days anymore?"

"A nightmare you said..." the Potions Master narrowed his eyes and said darkly, "very well... I take it back... I believe a week of detention is most certainly not enough. Make it a month!"

"You have to be kidding me..." Hermione gasped. "Well," she blinked a couple of times at him, "maybe there's a chance you'll behave a little better when you don't have to prove your authority in front of a room full of teenagers? That actually sounds good. These detentions may give us a chance to have some serious discussions."

"Sir, please." This time it was Ron who raised his hand, "Hermione hasn't been feeling right all morning. My sister knew about it. It must have happened in their dorm room. I told her to go see Madam Pomfrey, but she didn't want to miss the class."

Glaring at the young witch for a good long minute, the Potions Master finally commanded with a growl, "you will go to the hospital wing immediately. And while you are on the way, you might as well pray hard for a report from Madame Pomfrey to prove that you were indeed cursed or poisoned. Because if you were not," he paused for a brief moment, and went on darkly, "I would have to thank you for offering me the rare opportunity to remove a hundred points from your house. As far as you two," he addressed Harry and Ron, "twenty points each for not being able to keep your friend's behavior in check!"

Hermione ignored Harry and Ron's groan and all the frowns towards her from students in uniforms similar to hers. As she picked up her book bag and made her way towards the door, she looked back one more time at the youthful version of her good neighbor. "You're not coming?"

The Potions Master only rolled his eyes and sneered at her in return.

* * *

"It's been years since I last cast such complex diagnostic charms. I almost forgot the last one you just used! Thank you so much for reminding me!" Hermione commented excitedly as Madame Pomfrey conducted her check-up procedures. "Oh by the way," Hermione ignored the Matron's concerned expression and said, "have you considered adding bubble gum flavor to the calming draught? It was one of the best sellers at my store..."

Madame Pomfrey let out a relieved sigh when she saw the Potions Master enter her office.

"Severus," she hurried to his side and pulled him towards the window, "I'm sorry to send for you between your classes. But I thought since you sent her to me, you might have more information about Miss Granger..."

"I doubt it," the wizard drawled. "Other than observing her unacceptable behavior, I have nothing else to add. What have you discovered?"

"Nothing." The Matron shook her head as she looked back at the girl, who was now beaming at them as she noticed the professor in the room. "I can't find any trace of any forms of attack. I even checked for concussion, and confirmed that she doesn't have one."

"Then the answer is clear. She is simply being an insufferable brat!" The wizard snarled.

"No, I don't think so," the older witch disagreed. "Miss Granger is definitely not her normal self. Perhaps you should take her to the Headmaster's office."

"Who's the headmaster these days?" Hermione suddenly chimed in from behind Madame Pomfrey, wearing a big grin on her face. "I'm so glad you're here to join us, Severus."

The wizard's eyes widened. The Matron's mouth opened and closed. But neither spoke a word.

"Miss Granger!" the Potions Master finally cleared his throat and stated sternly, "stop your disrespectful behavior immediately!"

"Oops," Hermione stuck out her tongue and made a face. "Sorry I forgot... I forgot you are supposed to be the teacher and I'm the student. My bad. I'll call you Professor from now on. Or would 'sir' be an appropriate title too?"

The professor glared at the young witch furiously. "_You_..." He commanded after a very long pause, "will follow me."

* * *

Hermione quickly realized the strides of the younger version of Severus were impressively long. Especially after it became clear that she had to fasten her pace to almost a sprint to keep up with him.

"Wait up, Sever... er... Sir." She hurried after him, and only arched an eyebrow as her eyes were met by his stern black ones.

"Look, all joking aside," she began in an earnest voice, "I'm very glad to see you here." Smiling warmly at the wizard who was now glaring at her with utter surprise Hermione continued, "and I must add that you are quite a good-looking young man. If you could tune down your attitude a bit, I have no doubt you could be very popular among your students, and probably among the ladies, too."

The Potions Master stopped his footstep and stared at the girl, as if she had a horn sprouting out of her head. After a long moment he found his voice and sneered, "Miss Granger, your pathetic attempt to get yourself out of trouble is absolutely absurd. Thirty points for inappropriate language!"

"Oh would you please just cut this whole point docking silliness out?" Hermione frowned with a wave of her hand dismissively. Letting out a sigh she continued, "you know me, Severus! And you know I don't say things like this often. I was not lying when I said you are handsome. I actually think you are very," she offered him a devilish smile, "very attractive."

The Potions Master was practically ready to strangle the young witch in front of him. "Miss Granger! You..." he narrowed his eyes as he leaned closer to the insufferable Gryffindor, "fifty points for... for harassing a teacher! Let me just say that I am seriously considering making a request to the headmaster to terminate your enrollment right here, right now. If you don't wish to test the limit of my patience, you might consider stop talking all together!"

Hermione looked at the wizard wide-eyed as she murmured, "I think Jenny's stories are giving me a nightmare."

"Twenty points for refusing to stop talking!" He barked, before turning on his heels and picking up his speed.

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head. But she hurried after Severus, without saying another word.

* * *

"Ah... there you are! Good morning!" The Headmaster greeted Hermione and Severus cheerfully. When noticing the surprised expression on the face of the Potions Master he added, "of course I have been expecting to see you here, Professor. I believe something extraordinary must have happened to cause a record number of point deduction from the Gryffindor House in such a short period of time."

"Indeed... something extraordinary," Severus drawled. "The insufferable know-it-all has finally decided to top the records of her reckless friends, and has been breaking every possible rule since the first minute in class."

The Headmaster's eye twinkled as he listened to the teacher's complaint, but his eyes never left the young Gryffindor in front of him.

"You must be Dumbledore!" Hermione completely ignored the Potions Master's recount of all of her "offense". As soon as Severus stopped the last word of his sentence, Hermione greeted the old wizard excitedly. "I think I've seen your picture somewhere. You look just like a friendly old grandpa! It's hard to believe you can be such a controversial figure."

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow... Miss Granger," Dumbledore continued to smile at the girl politely, but he seemed intrigued by her words. "What do you mean by controversial?"

"Well, let me think..." Hermione frowned as she searched through her memory, trying to summarize what she read about Dumbledore. "I'd say manipulative, controlling, inconsiderate, and reckless... among a few other things. But mainly just manipulative."

"I can hardly call that controversial, Miss Granger. Your description of me sounds plain awful." The Headmaster didn't seem to be offended by the young witch's words, although he darted a curious glance over to his Potions Master, who was glaring dangerously at the young witch. "Lemon drops, anyone?"

"Oh, no thanks. At my age I'm trying to watch out for the unnecessary calories. As far as your reputation, I forgot to mention, you are also very powerful. It's just that the manipulative part kept getting stuck in my head. They did call you a meddling old coot quite often in those stories." Hermione ignored the snickering of the Potions Master, and gave the old wizard an apologetic smile. "But according to the stories, you are the only wizard who was powerful enough to stand up to Voldemort. You led a group of wizards and witches, what did they call themselves..." she stumbled on her words. "I can't remember what the group was called, but they basically helped winning the war, thanks to Severus' major contribution of course." She beamed at the youthful Severus.

Hermione didn't understand why Dumbledore's office suddenly became so quiet, as both wizards were now looking intensely at her. She had ignored the young Severus for the past few minutes, thinking he was a character in her mind's construction that was stuck with Jenny's inaccurate descriptions. But as she watched the expression change in Dumbledore's face, she began to wonder where her subconscious was leading her.

"I must admit this dream is getting a bit long, and rather confusing." Hermione frowned, "They say dreams are reflections of what's on your mind during the day. I think I know why I'm here at Hogwarts. But I wonder what made me want to come to this time period. Say... Professor, what year is this?"

Looking at Hermione from behind his half-moon spectacles, Dumbledore seemed quite amused. "Last time I check it was 1994, Miss Granger."

"1994..." Hermione began to pace in front of the two wizards, with her finger stroking her chin. "I wish I could remember that part of the history better," she murmured, "but I'm quite sure something bad is about to happen." Her eyes widened as she remembered piece and bits from the books that she read. "Someone... a student... will soon be in great danger!" She gasped.

"I shall inform Trelawney that she has just procured herself a protégé," Severus stated coolly as he observed the young witch from afar.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Severus for a brief moment before returning her attention to Dumbledore. "I can't remember all the details. But can I count on you to protect your students? Will Hogwarts always be safe for the children inside the castle?"

"Do not worry yourself, Miss Granger." Dumbledore walked up to Hermione and comforted her with a gentle pat on her shoulder. "It is the teachers' duty to protect the students. We are quite capable of ensuring the safety at Hogwarts. Do your parents have any specific concerns? I am certainly available to address them should they require a meeting."

_Parents..._ The word suddenly clicked in Hermione's mind. "That's right, Professor Dumbledore. Since I'm here, I might as well ask you... does Hogwarts offer parent-teacher conferences? My son will be coming here next September, and I sure would like to know how I can maintain a communication channel with his teachers."

"Your son?" Dumbledore arched an eye brow. "Miss Granger, what makes you think your _SON_ will be attending Hogwarts _next_ _year_?"

"Severus told me a few weeks ago," Hermione answered.

"I told you no such thing!" The Potions Master immediately objected.

"Well, not _this_ you..." Hermione looked at him sadly. "But I was told Severus had made arrangements to have my son registered here."

Studying the young witch curiously Dumbledore smiled, "Miss Granger, my dear, I have to say you look quite young to have a son at the age to attend Hogwarts."

"I'm flattered." Hermione smiled shyly. "I get that quite a bit from the grocery stores. Jenny said I should take it as a compliment when a cashier asks to see my driver's license when I go buy a bottle of wine."

Still smiling politely, Dumbledore pointed towards a large mirror against the wall by his bookshelves, "I'm glad you receive complements often. But Miss Granger," he said, "I am only stating the obvious."

Following the Headmaster's direction Hermione glanced into the mirror, and found her teenage self looking back at her. "Of course." She was not surprised by what she saw, and quickly returned her attention back to Dumbledore, "how can I forget? I'm in my dream. I can probably look like whatever age I want!"

"Your dream?" The old wizard arched his brows again as he began to pace around Hermione. "Miss Granger, if this is indeed a dream, could you tell me what you were doing before you fell asleep?"

She fell silent for a brief moment as she recalled the events from the night before. And then she answered in a quiet voice, "I was in Severus' bedroom..."

"How dare you!" Severus cut her off before she could finish her sentence. "How dare you damage my reputation and integrity with such a groundless accusation! I never let any students into my private quarters!"

Raising a hand as an attempt to calm his Potions Master, the Headmaster encouraged the girl. "Please, Miss Granger. Do continue."

"Well, I was tired last night, and I didn't want to go home." Hermione continued her explanation, "so I went to Severus' cabin. You never had any problems with me visiting you, Severus." She directed that sentence to her good friend, whom she didn't seem to know any more. "I had a lot on my mind, after seeing you..." she paused for a moment and looked down at her feet. Letting out a sigh she continued, "I must have wandered into your bedroom. There I saw your old wardrobe. I was wondering if it was the same one you told me about, the one you said you used to hide in when your parents argued in the house. When I opened it I had to try it out. I wanted to know what it felt like to be in it for a small boy. So I got inside, sat in the corner, feeling quite warm and comfortable. I think that was when I fell asleep."

Dumbledore's office was completely silent when Hermione finished her story. The first thing she did was looking up at Severus. Based on his earlier reaction when she mentioned having visited his bedroom, she expected yet another thundering outburst from the snarly professor. But all she found were his dark eyes fixed upon her. He stared at her intensely, but no word was spoken. She blinked away her tears as she turned away from Severus to face Dumbledore. "Well, this dream is certainly not what I had ever expected," she said quietly. "But it doesn't matter, does it? It's probably time to wake up anyway." Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, hoping she could soon get away from the unfamiliar world, and away from the stranger who bore such resemblance as her good friend.

A moment later she opened her eyes, only to discover she was still in the same room, with Dumbledore and Severus staring at her. Suddenly a terrible thought daunted on her... what if she couldn't wake up? This was certainly turning into a nightmare!

"Let me out of here! I need to wake up now!" She called out towards the ceiling, but nothing happened. Soon she found herself screaming in panic as Dumbledore tried to calm her with assuring words that didn't mean anything to her. As she ran across Dumbledore's room, she knocked over the glass bowl full of candy and watched the lemon drops spilled all over the floor. She felt as if she was a bird trapped in a cage. Running pointlessly around the Headmaster's office, Hermione bumped into chairs and bookshelves, not knowing what she should do to find a way out of the strange dream.

Finally she ran to Severus' side. With tear streaming down her face she pleaded, "please... Severus... help me!" She held on to his arm and cried, "you always know how to talk me into senses. I need to wake up! Please! Help me wake up!" But he only stared at her impassively, with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

She took a stumble backwards and bumped into the Headmaster. "Dumbledore!" She turned her hope to the old wizard, "you were a powerful wizard! Maybe you still are in my dreams. Help me wake up! Please!" She screamed.

Dumbledore looked at Hermione sympathetically as he slowly raised his wand. With a flick of his wrist, a blue light enveloped Hermione. The tension in her body was suddenly washed away as she lost control of her muscles. She closed her eyes and slumped backwards, only to be caught by two strong arms. As she slowly drifted away she felt someone picked her up and lifted her off the floor. Was it Severus? She wasn't sure. But that was when she smelled the familiar scent of mint and sandalwood again. When she leaned her head against something solid, she wondered if it was the inside of the wardrobe or Severus' shoulder. As she gave in to the warmth surrounding her, she took in another deep breath of his scent, and fell into comfortable slumber.

TBC

* * *

**_Is it clear enough about where we are heading? I hope you like it. =)_**


	6. A Subtle Understanding

**_A/N: I wish I could reply to all of your wonderful questions... but then, telling the story wouldn't be so much fun if you have all the answers! =) So instead of addressing your curiosity in private messages, I will be leaving you bits and pieces of the answers in the story as we move along. You will soon start to spot them here and there in the upcoming chapters. Unfortunately however, your biggest question (oh yes I know what it is =)) will not be answered until the very end - just so that I can make sure I have a decent parting gift at the conclusion of our journey. =)_**

**_Luna de Papel... I'm so very grateful for your help!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Six - A Subtle Understanding**

"Severus, my boy, thank you for coming! It must have been a long day for you. I hope you don't mind me summoning you before supper?" The Headmaster asked kindly as his Potions Master strode into his office.

"Every day has been a long day recently." Severus answered dryly. "I had never thought the dunderheads could perform any worse. The distraction from the Triwizard Tournament and the upcoming Yule Ball practically took away the last bits of their senses."

"It is indeed quite demanding to be the host sometimes." Dumbledore looked down at his hands and smiled at them warmly.

"I assume discussing the duty of hosting Durmstrang and Beauxbatons was not the reason you wished to see me?" Severus had been fighting a headache since he left Miss Granger at the hospital wing earlier that day. He was desperately hoping he could end the conversation with the old man soon. Nothing sounded better than a glass of hard liquor by the fire place at the moment.

"I wasn't very convincing, was I?" Dumbledore let out a chuckle. "I admit... playing host can be quite entertaining. I do enjoy it most of the time, especially the gatherings and the parties. I only wish the game would go on uneventfully, in which case the Yule Ball would be pure fun. However, now that we have a forth champion, you and I both know my wish is not likely to be granted. Nevertheless," noticing the impatience in the Potions Master's cold glares, the Headmaster cleared his throat and quickly continued, "I wanted to see you because I would like to hear your interpretation of Miss Granger's strange behavior earlier today."

"My interpretation?" Severus arched a brow at the question.

He had been contemplating Hermione Granger's odd words for the entire afternoon, which was the primary cause for his headache. He was, however, cautious about discussing his concerns with anyone, including Dumbledore. Miss Granger had mentioned something about his childhood that he had never shared with anyone, not even Lily, during those years when she was still his best friend. He was always ashamed to share that part of his childhood experience. Well, it wasn't like he was interested in sharing anything about his life with anyone. The image of himself hiding in a wardrobe conveyed nothing but weakness. And Severus wanted to have nothing to do with that image. He had considered all of the possible ways a student like Granger had to get her hands on such information, but hadn't been able to sort out a clue. What else did Granger learn from her mysterious source? He was eager to find out. If there were any more embarrassing facts she had learned about his past, he would definitely have to stop her from spreading the rumors around the castle before she had her first opportunity. Dumbledore had already known more than enough about his history. Severus didn't need to share any more of his past with the old wizard.

"Yes, your interpretation." Dumbledore nodded at the younger wizard. "She did make it sound like she knew you well. What do you think about that?"

"I have no idea why that insufferable know-it-all made those ridiculous statements. But I assure you, Albus, not one single word of her accusations was true. She might have been experimenting with restricted potions last night, which might not have left obvious traces strong enough for Poppy to detect. She sounded delirious if you ask me," the Potions Master stated sternly.

"She did behave rather oddly." Dumbledore got up from his seat and began to pace the room while stroking his long beard thoughtfully. "What most concerned me, Severus, were the references she made to the 'war'."

"It wouldn't surprise me if she read about that dreadful war from the library. The significance of the Order of Phoenix is well-known history if one pays enough attention to the historical documents." Severus answered coolly.

"But she referred to your 'major contribution'." Dumbledore looked up at Severus curiously. "I, for one, did not share our discussions with anyone."

"Neither did I," Severus replied, "and I can hardly call what I did a 'contribution'." He took in a shaky breath. "However, like I said earlier Albus, she might be experiencing an episode of delirium..."

"Or an experience of time traveling." The Headmaster interjected before his Potions Master could finish his sentence. "A time traveling experience to the future, which would make her reference to the 'war' the second wizarding war, which may be the one that is upon us."

"Time traveling?" Severus frowned, "I thought Minerva had taken her time turner back after last year's fiasco. And even if that insufferable Gryffindor landed her hands on another time turner, it couldn't carry her forward. How would that explain any of her outrageous behavior?"

"It wasn't a time turner," Dumbledore sighed as he settled back down in his chair. "And you are right. Even a time turner wouldn't explain Miss Granger's intriguing words. There might be something else that temporarily removed her from our world, and allowed her to have an experience in a different time line."

Severus arched a brow before narrowing his eyes at the Headmaster. His headache was preventing him to think properly. "Perhaps looking into her mind is a necessary procedure then." He hissed impatiently. "I would be happy to perform Legilimency in the morning."

"That would not be necessary," Dumbledore smiled as he shook his head, "for I have done so already."

Severus' frown deepened. He knew as the Headmaster, Dumbledore probably did not need to ask for permission like he had just done before performing such a procedure. However, he still considered invading a student's mind without proper warning to be slightly unethical. "You did? When? What did you see?"

"I looked into Miss Granger's mind when she was in my office earlier today, giving us the 'prophecy', telling us about the danger upon a student." Dumbledore leaned back into his seat. "That's when I decided it was necessary to verify her statement."

"And?" The Potions Master sat up in his seat, obviously intrigued. "What did you find?"

The Headmaster shook his head with a disappointed sigh. "Nothing," he answered quietly. "I didn't see any unusual activities in Miss Granger's memories. Since I didn't detect any effort at Occlumency on Miss Granger's end - not that I expected any, by the way - my only explanation is that it was indeed a dream she had experienced. That has to be the only explanation, for dreams are the only memories that Legilimency cannot retrieve."

"Your explanations make little sense." Severus observed. "And it doesn't answer anything, either. Where did she get those 'dreams'?"

"That's why I called you here to help me with the puzzle." Dumbledore looked at Severus, with his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "Would I be correct to assume nothing she said about you is true? You didn't have any private discussions with her before?"

Severus considered the question quietly, and gave the Headmaster a simple answer. "No."

"Well, since it doesn't seem like you have any idea either," Dumbledore shrugged, "I suppose we will simply have to wait for things to play out."

"I suppose..." Severus got up from the chair, "if there is nothing else, Albus, I had a trying day."

"Of course, Severus." Dumbledore smiled warmly at the wizard in black and asked hopefully, "see you at supper?"

"I've had enough of the dunderheads for the day." Severus growled. "I hope you'd forgive my retiring early tonight."

"Certainly." Dumbledore nodded sympathetically, "I hope a good night sleep will make tomorrow a brighter day."

Severus pressed his lips tight together and gave the Headmaster a curt nod. As he made his way out he mumbled, "not very likely."

* * *

Hermione woke up feeling as if she had just slept away the tiredness from a very long journey. When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in a bed hidden between screens in the hospital wing.

Blinking at the white fabric of the privacy screens a few times, she began to recall things that happened the day before. The world around her suddenly became crystal clear. She had regained all of her memories from two very different lives. One was growing up as Hermione Granger, entering the wizarding world four years previously, and spending almost the entire time with her fellow Gryffindor friends Harry and Ron. But in the back of her mind, she also remembered the years she spent in Northern California as a single mother, raising her baby, and developing a friendship with a wizard neighbor named Severus Snape. But how did those two lives connect? What led her from one to the other? She simply didn't have a clue.

Shaking her head in frustration she slowly got off of bed. Soon she heard Madam Pomfrey as she hurried to her bedside.

"Oh dear, I'm so glad you're awake," the Matron greeted Hermione happily. "You slept through the entire night! Professor Dumbledore surely overdid his calming charm if you ask me." With a wave of her wand, Madam Pomfrey cast a few diagnostic charms before nodding in satisfaction. "All seems to be perfect, Miss Granger. But I want you to have one more doze of the calming draught before you start the day. Why don't you get ready and change into some fresh uniforms, and I will summon the house elves to bring you some breakfast to go with the potion? Last thing I want is to send a student out of my care with a stomachache."

"I really made a fool of myself yesterday, didn't I?" Hermione's brows furrowed as she half-heartedly listened to Madame Pomfrey's plans.

"Well, I'm sorry to say that no one knows what happened to you." The older witch shook her head sympathetically. "When Professor Snape brought you here, he didn't seem very pleased. He believed you were delusional. And apparently even the Headmaster couldn't understand your behavior." Patting the girl's shoulders kindly Madam Pomfrey tried to cheer her up, "Professor McGonagall and your friends came to visit you last night. I asked Miss Weasley to bring you a change of clothes. Here, don't give yesterday's incidents any more thought. It's time to start a new day!"

Hermione thanked the Matron politely and followed the witch's instructions. She changed into a fresh set of uniforms that Ginny had brought her the previous night, and took her potion with some breakfast the house elves provided. When she visited Madam Pomfrey's office to say her good-byes, the Matron delivered a message that Hermione wished wasn't true.

"By the way my dear, both the Headmaster and Professor Snape want to see you. It may be just a few quick words before you go join your friends." Madam Pomfrey tried to downplay the requests.

"Oh no," Hermione groaned, "they want to see me again? This is going to be so embarrassing... Are they still in Professor Dumbledore's office?"

"Well, their requests came separately." Madam Pomfrey frowned as she tried to come up with a plan to ease the girl's anxiety. "Why don't you go see Professor Dumbledore first? His office is closer. You know the Headmaster is always very forgiving when it comes to good students." She smiled at Hermione encouragingly. "You may be able to figure out the reason why Professor Snape wants to see you after you talk to the Headmaster. And maybe you'll be able to prepare some good apologies before you get to the dungeons."

Hermione thanked the older witch for her thoughtfulness. However inwardly she wasn't sure which meeting would be more dreadful. Until she could understand if her memory of that "other life" was true, she wasn't sure which wizard she should trust more.

But she took Madam Pomfrey's advice and made her first stop at the Headmaster's office - it was indeed closer.

"Good morning Miss Granger!" Dumbledore greeted her with a cheerful smile. "I hope you had a good night's sleep and are feeling better?"

"Much..." Hermione answered quietly. "I want to apologize, Professor Dumbledore. I really didn't mean to be disrespectful. I don't understand what's gotten into me."

"That makes two of us." The old wizard continued to smile at the young witch warmly. "Please don't worry about it. We are experiencing an exciting time, aren't we? The Triwizard Tournament can certainly be a great distraction. And besides, I understand perfectly well that sometimes even dreams can seem magical within these castle walls."

"You think those were my dreams?" Hermione frowned, having a hard time believing the years she spent raising Toby and running a small business could all be a dream.

"I don't have a better explanation." The Headmaster answered sincerely, "unless you have some more information you can remember that is relevant to our reality?"

That was a question Hermione had dreaded since that morning. She had tried to reconcile her "two lives", and had quickly realized although her days in Northern California were quite some time in the future, she couldn't remember much about reading the history of the current time period.

Observing Hermione's hesitation, the Headmaster went on. "I really wouldn't worry about it, Miss Granger. Why chase after a dream while it's so far removed from reality. And if there is anything I can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask. You can always come and talk to me about anything, my dear. You can trust me with your secrets. And please remember, I always have the best intention for you and your friends."

Hermione gave the old wizard a polite nod and smiled at him gratefully. How could she forget how understanding Dumbledore was? How would anyone ever call the Headmaster manipulative?

"Before you leave, Miss Granger," the Headmaster stopped her on her way out. "Have you heard of Occlumency?"

"Occlumency?" Hermione frowned. "I have heard of it. It's an advanced magic, isn't it? It's used to protect one's mind from being penetrated though Legilimency."

"I have to say Miss Granger," Dumbledore let out a soft chuckle. "I should have known I'd never be able to say something that you haven't either already learned or heard of. But yes, that is correct. I was wondering if you are interested in learning this. If you are, I'd be more than happy to give you some private lessons."

"Me? Learning Occlumency?" Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. She would never turn down an opportunity to learn something new in the magical world, let alone learning it directly from the greatest wizard alive. However, she did find the Headmaster's suggestion intriguing. "Does this have anything to do with... those 'dreams' I experienced?"

Dumbledore continued to smile at the young witch from behind his half-moon shaped spectacles. "No, my dear. What makes you think it has anything to do with anything?"

"Well... it's just kind of... er... an unexpected suggestion." Hermione was thoroughly confused.

"That's completely understandable, Miss Granger." Professor Dumbledore gave the young witch an understanding nod. "The only reason why I am suggesting it is because I think you may have some extra time on your hands this semester, now that you are not taking extra classes using the time turner. It'd be a waste if you don't maximize your time at Hogwarts, don't you agree?"

Hermione was so thrilled that her Headmaster understood her so well. She nodded eagerly in agreement.

"Knowing your enthusiasm in learning new things," the Headmaster gave Hermione a mischievous wink, "I'm sure you'd enjoy studying up on something new and interesting. Occlumency offers a foundation for some other advanced magic. So I think it's a logical place to start. You will find the relevant books in the restricted section in the library. You have my permission to do whatever research on the subject you see necessary."

"How about the lessons with you? When can we start?" Hermione could hardly contain her excitement. All her worries about her "dreams" had evaporated completely.

"Why don't you start with the reading and research? There's some practice you can get started on your own. I'll need to make some arrangements to fit you into my schedule, especially now that we have quite a few guests staying at Hogwarts. But I'm sure we can have some appointments set up by Christmas. Does that sound acceptable to you?"

"Oh absolutely!" Hermione grinned happily at the old wizard.

"I only need you to do one thing for me." Dumbledore seemed relieved at Hermione's reaction to his recommendation.

"Sure, Professor. What would you like me to do?" The young witch asked curiously.

"I want this to be a secret between you and me. There's no need for your friends to become jealous of your private lessons with me, and I also don't want your professors to think that I'm adding more on your already busy class schedule. Minerva for one had already mentioned to me last year that she didn't like to see you take on too many extra classes."

"Sure. That's totally fine." Hermione replied. "I won't say a word to anyone. It'll only be me with the books in the library. Harry and Ron never bother me when I tell them I need some quiet time reading anyway."

With that the teenage girl bid her Headmaster good-bye, and left Professor Dumbledore's office feeling better than ever.

* * *

The excitement from having the opportunity to learn directly from the Headmaster soon began to dwindle as Hermione made her way towards her next destination. The closer she was to the dungeons, the more nervous she felt. She blushed furiously as she recalled the words she said to Severus... no, Professor Snape, the day before. How would he ever forgive her rudeness? She might have done Harry a serious favor. The Potions Master would more than likely make her his primary target for their remaining time at Hogwarts.

A heavy sigh left her lips before knocking on the heavy door leading into the office and lab belonged to the Potions Master. She tapped on the door softly, hoping he wasn't there. Nothing sounded better than the postponement of that dreadful meeting.

"Enter." His cool and smooth voice instantly dashed her hope for a quick escape.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione ran through the plans in her mind quickly one more time before entering the Potions Master's office. Without looking up to meet his deep dark eyes, Hermione began her apology immediately after she closed the door behind her.

"I am so terribly sorry, Professor Snape. My behavior yesterday was completely unacceptable. I'm really sorry. I wish I could take back every single word I said yesterday. I..."

"Are you finished?" He cut her off.

"Uh?" She looked up at him in surprise. Inwardly she groaned... Her plan was not going to work after all. It didn't seem like he was in the mood for her apologies. "I just want to say, sir, I'm sorry."

"You have made your point quite clear after you repeated that sentence the second time." His voice was as cold as his glare.

"I'm sorry..." She grimaced hearing herself repeat the apology one more time.

The Potions Master rolled his eyes impatiently before returning his attention back to the bushy-haired Gryffindor. "I need you to explain what you meant by 'visiting me' yesterday."

"I apologize, Professor. It was only a dream. I was trapped in some lingering memories from my dream." Hermione was hoping desperately that the Potions Master would accept her sincere apologies and let her go.

"A dream?" Snape narrowed his eyes at the young witch. "What makes you think it was a dream?"

"That's what Professor Dumbledore inferred. It was something my mind made up in my dreams, sir." She didn't dare looking up to meet his eyes, but she could hear him getting up from behind his desk and began to pace in front of her.

"Is that so?" A sense of uncertainty filled his voice. After a long pause he continued. "Even if it was from a ridiculous dream, I still need to know what else you learned."

"But sir..." Hermione's eyes widened and she quickly looked up at the wizard. She expected the Potions Master to make sarcastic comments about her delusional behavior, and perhaps take away more points from her house. But she had never expected him to inquire about the circumstances she was referring to.

"Explain!" His questions might be unexpected, but his attitude was exactly what Hermione had anticipated.

"Uh... Well, we were neighbors, in my... 'dreams'." She began to explain in a shaky voice. "For some reason, we became f...f...friends." Hermione swallowed nervously.

"I'm not going to hex you, you silly girl." The Potions Mater growled. "Relax! And hurry up and answer my questions. I don't have all day! What did you do with this 'friend' you met? And what did he tell you?"

"Well you... er... _he_ visited me almost every day, at my store. I always had a pot of tea waiting for him in the morning. He would spend most of his day sitting by the window and talk to me, until the time when my son got back from school. Then you... er... they usually like to spend some time in Severus' garden." Suddenly she realized she was calling her professor by his given name. Covering her mouth to muffle a gasp Hermione quickly began to apologize again. "I'm so sorry sir! I got carried away."

He stopped her with a wave of his hand impatiently. "What did you talk about? With this 'Severus'?"

"Pretty much about everything, sir." Hermione took a deep breath, remembering the old man who was such a dear friend of hers. "We talked about the news, the people in town, my business, and his past."

"That!" The Potions Master pinpointed the last word in Hermione's sentence, startling the girl greatly. "That is what I need to know. What did he tell you about _his_ past?"

After a brief hesitation, Hermione made up her mind and answered. "He told me many things, most were about his experiences back in the UK. He told me about his childhood, growing up in a neglectful family. He told me about his best friend, Lily." She paused briefly, carefully looked up at the professor in front of her, only to find him staring intensely back at her. "He also told me about his school days, and how the marauders bullied him and how his best friend grew apart from him..."

"Enough!" He bellowed, and immediately silenced the girl in front of him.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart Hermione began again, "I know all of this has to be a dream. The Severus I knew was seventy years older than me. If that was really you," she forced a miserable smile, "I shouldn't even be born yet, should I? You must think I'm completely crazy..."

"Did I say that?" The professor's velvet voice interrupted Hermione's sentence.

"You don't think..." Hermione looked up with great confusion. For a split second she thought she saw the Severus that she knew. "You don't think I'm crazy? You don't think I made it all up in my head? You think my 'dreams' were real?"

The wizard stared at the young witch impassively. After a long pause he said, "I have no explanations for you until I find the truth behind those 'dreams' of yours. Until then, however, I forbid you to speak a single word about these dreams of yours to any of your friends, including the ones that are very close to you."

Hermione's eyes widened.

Professor Snape rolled his eyes again. "Don't tell me you forgot who they are - Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, of course, the leading force of the Gryffindor trouble makers. No one, absolutely no one, can know about what you just told me."

Feeling the sting of tears in her eyes Hermione nodded slowly, "I promised you once, I'll promise you again. Your secret is safe with me."

The Potions Mater narrowed his eyes at the young witch, and then with a wave of his hand, he dismissed her.

But Hermione had another question on her mind before she could leave. She grimaced as she thought of the gloomy nights ahead of her. "Professor Snape, what time would you like me to serve my detention tonight?"

Snape glared at the young witch for a long moment. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he seemed to be having an internal struggle. Finally he let out a grunt and said, "under these special circumstances, I will remove those detention assignments. However," he paused for a chilling moment, "if you let one single word of our conversation out of this room, I will make sure that you wish you could serve a year of detention instead. Do you understand?"

Nodding nervously Hermione said to her Potions Master, "thank you, sir. I do appreciate it. What about the points you took yesterday? Do you think..."

"Have you ever seen me take back my words, Miss Granger?" The Potions Master raised his voice. "Do not push your luck!"

"Yes, sir," she replied quietly and made her way out of his office, yet she couldn't successfully hide a small smile in the corner of her lips.

TBC

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_**Although it may not look like it, a lot just happened in this chapter. Here is what I'm hoping... when we get further into the story, some of you would suddenly remember this chapter and say, "a-ha, that's why!" =)**_


	7. Trapped, with a Glimpse of Hope

**_A/N: Sorry about the delay... Just got back from a week-long family vacation and was immediately slammed by multiple projects at work. Long story short... let's just say I'm glad we are back to the story. I received some really great comments after posting the previous chapter. Some questions were about the two different realities. What is real and what is not? It may be easy to answer as an objective outside observer. But as the individuals living the experience, there can only be one reality, which makes everything else a frustrating mystery. Isn't that what life is like: we all live in it every day, wondering what could have happened if we could go back in time and make one slightest change to the past, or if we are living in an alternative reality that "could have been" completely different? =)_**

**_Luna de Papel... you are an amazing beta, whose questions always make me think beyond the next chapter (and so much more!) And also, without you, Mr. Krum in my story would have sounded more like a Yankee than an honorable Bulgarian warrior!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Seven – Trapped, with a Glimpse of Hope**

Severus had never paid so much attention to a student outside of class; and he wished he could blame this pathetic behavior entirely on the target of his observation, Hermione Granger.

In the past two weeks, he found his attention drawn to the girl far more often than appropriate. He caught himself watching her in the Great Hall, in the corridors, in the castle grounds, and even from afar when he spotted her at Hogsmeade over the weekend when she was there with her friends. Severus had a difficult time believing a simple schoolgirl could suddenly turn into such an intriguing puzzle to him. He lost many nights of sleep thinking about her strange words, and wondering what other misery her mysterious experience was about to bring him.

Severus' agony started shortly after the fourth-year Gryffindor recounted her bizarre dreams. If her words in the Headmaster's office alarmed Severus, her explanation about their "friendship" in his own office the following morning infuriated the Potions Master. Friends? With the Gryffindor know-it-all? He wished he could happily accuse the girl of making it all up in her head. Unfortunately, however, he couldn't bring himself to lie about it: for only he knew that what she said about his past was, indeed, true.

Yet the mysterious source of the girl's story was only the beginning of Severus' headache.

He watched the dark mark on his forearm become more prominent every day. Moody had definitely suspected something. Severus complained bitterly to the Headmaster about the unappreciated raids that the newly appointed DADA teacher imposed on his private stores, pointing out that Mad-Eye had gotten the wrong target. Dumbledore only nodded and listened, but did nothing. Severus could only sneer at the former Auror, knowing there was nothing else he could do to express his displeasure. To Severus' further annoyance, Karkaroff was clearly losing his cool, and wishing he could find a sympathizer in Hogwarts' Potions Master. Severus knew he could only pretend for so long before he would be forced to agree with the spineless former Death Eater. The truth was clear: the Dark Lord was on his way, and another war was inevitable.

The elevated stress level from the upcoming turmoil gave Severus even more reasons to contemplate Granger's strange words. If Dumbledore was right, if she indeed foresaw the outcome of the second wizarding war, if it was true that he himself was to make a significant contribution, Severus needed more information. How would the war play out? How would his role fit in? And what, exactly, would he need to do?

He tried getting the answers from her through his usual way of communicating with a student: his interrogating style of questioning.

"Miss Granger, I need more details about your so-called dreams." He asked the young witch to stay after class one day. "You must realize it is very important not to withhold any useful information that may help potentially prevent endangerment to the school and our world." His voice was stern and cold.

"Certainly, Professor. Where should we start?" She gave him a small and uneasy smile. "I would be more than happy to help. But I can't recall much about the events happening in this time period. My son on the other hand, loves reading the adventure stories of Harry Potter…" she frowned as her thoughts trailed off to the past, or rather, a distant future.

"I have no interest in _your_ _son_." He spat.

Her frown deepened as she looked back up at him. He saw tears glistening in her soft brown eyes.

"I miss him so much." She said quietly, before looking down and wiped away her silent tears.

Severus rolled his eyes impatiently before glaring at the girl. "I didn't ask you to stay after class to cry about a child that is obviously not in existence. We have more important…"

"How can you say that?" She cut him off, which surprised him greatly - there had never been another student who dared challenge him directly like that, not even the Potter brat. She didn't shy away from his piercing glare, either. "How can you say he's not real!" Pain was clearly evident in her voice. "You are the only one who doesn't think I'm crazy. That's why I thought we could talk! And besides, you were there! You cared about him! How could you..." Choking on her words, she closed her eyes and shook her head. Slowly she turned away and walked towards the door. "I don't think I can help you, Professor. I don't remember much. And you are…" she let out a soft sigh before looking back at him sadly, "so very different."

She disappeared through the classroom door before he could react to her comments, leaving him standing alone in his classroom, furious. How dare she leave without being properly dismissed by her professor! On the other hand however, her tone shook him to the core. Hermione Granger didn't talk to Severus Snape like a student, but rather, like someone who had known him for a long time. She sounded like she not only trusted him, but also, apparently, was trying to hold on to a connection that he didn't even know had existed between them. Somehow, as if bewitched, Severus couldn't help but allow the sadness in her eyes burn into his mind, haunting him every time he closed his eyes.

To his own disappointment, Severus couldn't bring himself to lash out at the girl again. Instead, he drowned his fury with half a bottle of firewhiskey by his fireplace later that night.

The following morning marked the day when he started obsessively watching the young witch. Glaring at the girl from a distance, Severus wished he could find all his answers by keeping her under the closest surveillance.

What he saw in her soon changed everything.

The more time he spent watching her, the less sure Severus was about his opinion of his student. She did not fit in the usual young Gryffindor stereotype. She was never arrogant or reckless. She didn't seem to be interested in showing off her extraordinary intelligence, although she was always ready for a fair debate, and would always win her case through a logical argument. She behaved in a more mature way than all of the other rowdy teenage peers around her. She was far too quiet among the chatty girls. When the other young witches were gossiping about the hottest wizard on Durmstrang's boat, Hermione Granger was the one who sat in a corner knitting hideous hats for the house-elves. Severus overheard the young witch's creation of an organization to watch over house-elves' rights. He rolled his eyes about her seemingly pointless effort, but took note of the gesture behind her kind actions. She would never treat anyone unkindly just because everyone else thought she should. Perhaps - it suddenly occurred to Severus one day - it was not that farfetched to see Granger offering her friendship to someone who had never done anything nice to her, someone like himself.

And then there was her mothering behavior, which bothered Severus the most. He was sure that Potter, Weasley and even Longbottom could cost all of the points in Gryffindor's hour glass in one day alone were it not for Miss Granger, who was always there to reign them in before their recklessness acts could get them in serious trouble.

Others around her also seemed to have noticed her disconnection with her peers. Except for the few closest to her, many students couldn't refrain from making unfriendly comments on a regular basis. Yet the very composed Miss Granger would only laugh it off. She was so forgiving. Severus pressed his lips tight together as he wondered: could she really be older than she seemed as she informed him in the Headmaster's office?

Years of practice had made Severus a master of concealment. No one had noticed his secret observation, except for the only time that proved even a master could suffer a mishap.

It happened one morning at breakfast in the Great Hall. Scanning through the room, Severus quickly found the witch he was looking for. She was listening to the chattering from the Weasley girl across the Gryffindor breakfast table, while picking at the food in her plate. He had noticed the change in Miss Granger since he first started paying attention to her. She had not been eating much, and seemed to be easily upset by things that did not seem remarkable to anyone else. On this particular morning, Severus noticed she had become unusually quiet after a first year boy ran by her side, carelessly bumped into her shoulders with his book bag. The boy apologized immediately. But Granger seemed to be taken aback by something in the boy in front of her. Severus could almost swear that he saw her secretly wiping her face after the boy hurried away. Was she crying?

And that was the moment when she suddenly turned his way and caught his glance. It was too late to look away without appearing to be watching her secretly. So instead of looking away, Severus narrowed his eyes at her, pretending he just caught sight of her. The young witch didn't look away when her eyes met his cold dark ones. She frowned slightly first, as if surprised by his attention. And then to his utter surprise, she smiled at him.

It was a warm and sincere smile, but not without a hint of sadness. It was a gesture one would only offer a friend, a friend who was capable of reading into the nonverbal communication. It was kind, understanding, and in a way, pleading. Was she expecting something from him? Severus was more confused than ever.

* * *

Christmas should have been canceled if anyone would consider Severus's opinion. If the war was near, if an unknown danger was looming, what good would it do to teach the dunderheads how to dance? It would have been much more sensible to encourage dueling club practice than preparing them for the Yule Ball.

But of course, the Headmaster thought otherwise.

Much to his annoyance, the Potions Master was forced to put on his dress robes and attend an event jam-packed with hormonal teenagers.

"Hurry to the hall, please. We are about to begin!" Minerva was ushering the students towards the Great Hall when Severus made his way up the corridors from the dungeons. "Oh Severus," the older witch greeted her colleague pleasantly, "you are looking quite sharp tonight!"

"Really?" He snarled. "I assume it's the color that made the difference?"

Minerva rolled her eyes and let out a chuckle. "Everything but the color! But what can I say? Black suits you well." Smiling warmly at the wizard the Deputy Headmistress asked, "do you still remember what you learned from my dance class when you were their age?" She turned and smiled at the students quickly before returning her attention back to the Potions Master. "Would you like to show me how much you still remember?"

"Absolutely not." Severus drawled. "Leave me alone Minerva. Make Albus do it. Even at his old age he's always looking for an excuse to enjoy some glamour."

"But I still remember, Severus." The older witch called after the wizard as he walked away towards the Hall. "You were quite good with waltz."

He didn't bother looking back at the witch with a response as he walked straight into the grand hall.

Even though he hated gatherings, Severus had to admit the old Headmaster knew how to throw a party. Besides the loud music and the noisy students, the party was almost tolerable.

It was not until the four champions walked in the Hall to start the dance party when Severus caught sight of the girl. And he couldn't help but raise his brows at the view.

Miss Granger definitely looked more grown up in her party dress than her school uniform. She had chosen an hourglass shaped full-length gown with cascading layers of fabric ranging from light pink to lavender. Her hair, neatly pulled up into a classy bun, almost made her look unrecognizable. From a distance, even Severus could not avoid thinking that she looked like a spring flower ready to bloom.

He watched the young witch dance gracefully with the Durmstrang celebrity. Viktor Krum was obviously proud of his date. The foreign wizard couldn't help looking smug, as if he had just won the entire tournament. Who could blame him? The young girl in his arms was arguably more attractive than any of the half-veelas flown in from Beauxbatons.

To Severus' amazement however, Miss Granger didn't seem so impressed by the attention she was receiving. She was polite by Krum's side, and smiled at the bystanders from time to time. But even Severus could tell, she was not having a good time. When the music came to a stop, the Potions Master noticed the girl quietly slipped out of the Hall and head towards the castle entrance. He narrowed his eyes and decided to follow. Perhaps the young witch had much naughtier plans with her date.

As he made his way into the garden, Severus conveniently disrupted several smooching teenagers. He felt quite satisfied after taking forty points from Gryffindor, thirty from Hufflepuff and fifteen from Ravenclaw. He smiled inwardly as he watched Miss Parkinson and Mr. Malfoy dart into the darkness. If he didn't catch them, he was not going to embarrass his own house.

But he wouldn't let his target get too far away. Severus maintained a reasonably short distance from Miss Granger, wondering what she had in mind. Before long he seemed to have found the answers, when the shadow of a young wizard darted after the girl.

The young Durmstrang champion was nimble. As soon as he noticed the disappearance of his date, he quickly followed her out of the castle towards the Black Lake.

Severus couldn't understand why he was angry when he saw the young wizard caught up with the young witch. They were not doing anything inappropriate, unless you considered walking side by side while exchanging small talk an unacceptable act. Severus decided to follow them. And he promised himself if they did anything out of line, no matter how minor, he would be right there to take fifty points from Gryffindor House and prepare himself for a severe confrontation with Karkaroff for not keeping an eye on his students.

The two teenagers stopped by the bank of the lake, quite far away from the castle. Hiding behind a thick shrub, Severus could hear every word of their conversation.

"Vhy wouldn't you believe me vhen I say you are beautiful?" The wizard's question came with a slightly awkward accent.

"No, Viktor." The girl turned away to face the lake. "It's not that I don't believe you. I appreciate... what you said and I... er... thank you."

"Then vhy are you running away?"

_Running away?_ Severus was confused. The girl didn't plan this "moonlit stroll" ahead of time and was running away?

"The music was giving me a headache. I think I'll go to bed soon."

_Ah... that's her excuse._ Severus sneered at the back of the two figures.

"Vould you like to come to my room?" There was an unmistakable excitement in the young wizard's voice. Severus was ready to send a warning spell from his wand and jump out from behind the shrub. "Haff I told you...? I haff my own room on our boat. It's quite comfortable. I'm sure you haff never been to a place like that."

"Oh no, Viktor, you misunderstood." She shook her head feverishly. "I didn't mean that. I... I just want to be alone."

"Vell," the young wizard was quite accommodating. "Alone here in the darkness sounds pretty good." He moved closer to the girl and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"What are you doing?" Her voice startled both the wizard trying to hold her and the one behind the shrub. "No, Viktor. I... I... I must apologize. I agreed to come to the Ball with you, but I forgot to make it clear to you that I would only come as your friend."

"Friend?" The boy took a step back and asked in confusion. "People don't just ask any friend to go to the Yule Ball. You haff to... feel... something... too... Don't you like me?"

"Well..." She hesitated, "I like you like a friend, Viktor."

"But most girls don't just _like_ me as a friend, Herm-own-ninny." The young wizard paused with a slight hesitation. "I thought you vould vant to be more than friends. I vasn't going to do anything. I vas just going to hug you and maybe... giff you a kiss."

"But that's exactly what I don't want." Hermione took a few steps away from the boy.

"I don't understand..." Viktor scratched his head. "Did I do anything wrong?"

"No, you didn't." She quickly assured him. "You didn't do anything wrong. You've been a gentleman and a good friend. But you are just not... my type."

"Not your type?" Viktor was beyond surprised. The young celebrity was obviously not used to being refused by a girl. "Vhy not?" He pressed on.

"You are... er..." She stammered on her words. "You are... too young."

"Too young?" He raised his voice in surprise. "Vait... Vhat... How... But I'm eighteen! And you are only fourteen!"

"Fifteen."

"Alright, fifteen. I am still three years older than you! That's plenty old. How can you say I'm too young?"

"It's complicated." She answered apologetically. "I'm sorry Viktor. But I... can't."

"You are very strange." The young wizard let out a frustrated grunt. After a long moment he asked, "are you breaking up with me? Are we still friends?"

"There isn't anything to break up, Viktor." She answered calmly, "because we were never together. And of course, I have nothing against you. We can always be friends."

_That was unexpected._ The Potions Master arched a brow as he observed the Durmstrang champion slowly make his way towards the castle, looking completely defeated.

Severus watched in silence as Miss Granger took a few steps closer to the lake and sat down by the water. She rested her chin on her knees and let out a deep sigh. Not knowing what was driving him, Severus decided he would try one more time to talk to the young witch.

As he walked around the shrub and made his way towards the girl, he purposely made his footsteps heard, so that he wouldn't startle her when he was near. A cool breeze picked the exact time and pushed the thin clouds veiling the moon into the darkness, instantly lightened the grounds with a silver glow.

He watched her slowly look up towards him, and her brows furrowed when she recognized who was approaching her.

Looking back towards the water the girl asked in a quiet voice, "what did I do now, Professor? How many points am I going to lose?"

He frowned at her question but did not answer. Quietly he sat down on a large rock by the water in a short distance from her. A long moment later he asked, "too young? Was that the best excuse you could come up with?"

Her eyes shot up at him in surprise. He looked at her impassively as she opened and closed her mouth several times. Finally, she found her voice and said, "you were watching us!"

He ignored her accusation and let out a grunt. "What made you think it was a good idea to venture so close to the forest at night with a foreign wizard?" When he didn't hear her retort he went on, "I would expect you to do a better job being discreet about your so-called dreams next time. It was a poor excuse to use when you were trying to turn down a young man's offer."

"Are you done lecturing?" She asked with a sigh. Her voice was plain, but the disappointment in her tone was clear.

It took Severus another long moment to make up his mind, before he finally voiced his curiosity. "Just exactly how old were you before you woke up in this world?"

He kept his eyes locked in the distance when he felt her staring at him intensely. She was likely surprised by his change in tone; and he was not interested in explaining why.

"I just turned thirty." She answered quietly. When she didn't hear him speaking she went on. "It just feels so strange. I'm trapped in this fifteen-year-old girl's body but am thinking like a thirty-year-old. No one can understand me. Now I understand what it must be like to be Claudia."

"Claudia?" Severus was confused.

"Oh it's just a fictional character from a muggle novel." She shook her head slightly and let out a sigh. "It's just so hard to realize that I may never be able to see my baby again. Like you said, he is, obviously, nonexistent."

He considered his words carefully before replying in his smooth velvet voice. "You're not a vampire, Miss Granger. You are not forever stuck in this state."

Her eyes widened as she took in his reply. "You've read the novel, too?"

He shrugged. "It's a well-known fact that fictional literature is always lacking in the wizarding world. Forget about that meaningless reference. You have nothing in common with that Claudia, Miss Granger. Consider this a second chance, and make the best of it. Many others would never be as fortunate as you are." Without waiting for a reply he got up from the rock and began to make his way back towards the castle.

"You couldn't help it." Her words stopped him.

Turning quickly around to face her, he narrowed his eyes and asked, "what do you mean?"

"You tried all you could do to protect them, the Potters." She lowered her voice. Watching him slowly walking back towards her she continued, "I want to tell you that you shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

"You read about that, didn't you?" He asked darkly.

"Some of it," she answered. "I read about some of your past in this, well, dream of mine. But I also learned a lot more about you from," she hesitated, "talking to the other you."

"What else can you remember?" He asked.

"Not much now." She sighed. "It feels as if all of it happened in a dream, and the things I learned have been slowly fading. But I promise I will come to see you if I can remember anything else."

"Good," was his simple reply.

She watched the tall wizard once again left her towards the castle. "Severus," she called after him. He stopped immediately when he heard his given name being uttered by a student. Instead of turning to face the young witch and announcing a detention, Severus rooted to the ground and didn't look back.

Taking a deep breath the young witch said, "other than the son I keep seeing in those first-year boys, I also miss my friend. I miss him so terribly. It's really hard to see him every day, but have to keep reminding myself that he, I mean you, are so different from the man I know."

"It's not easy for me to justify that the Gryffindor know-it-all should address me in such an informal way, either," he said without looking back at her. "Go to bed, Miss Granger. And remember your promise."

When he was a few steps away from her, he heard her calling after him. "Don't drink so much firewhiskey. It's not good for your liver."

He only slowed down slightly at her advice. To his own amusement, he didn't turn around and tell her to mind her own business. Instead, he frowned at a distant star, wondering if the tingling sensation he felt in his heart was the equivalent of a comforting thought knowing someone actually cared about him.

It had been too long since the last time someone felt concerned about his well-being; and Severus couldn't say he didn't like it.

TBC

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**_The war is upon us. What would Hermione do? And how would Severus react? We will see in the next chapter._**


	8. A New Leaf

**_A/N: Thank you all for following and reviewing. I'm not sure if the direction of the story is meeting your expectations. I can only hope you enjoy the "braids" of time that was so well described by Kermit304, because I plan on making the "braids" a little more complicated later on. The adventure has just begun. And I hope you'll hold on tight for the twists and turns! =)_**

**_Luna de Papel... always so kind... always so helpful... and always so awesome!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

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**Chapter Eight – a New Leaf**

It was a moonless night. Hogwarts' grounds were eerily quiet after the chaos earlier that evening. Other than the faint candle light radiating from the Headmaster's office, the entire castle seemed to have finally fallen asleep after a nightmare, except for a young witch pacing nervously in the Gryffindor common room.

For what seemed like the hundredth time Hermione looked down at her wrist watch: it was two thirty in the morning. She took in a shallow breath and scanned the castle grounds again from the Gryffindor tower window. To her despair, the grounds seemed to be just as empty as they were when she surveyed the area a few minutes earlier.

Everyone was deeply shaken by the tragic ending of the Triwizard Tournament. The loss of Cedric Diggory was difficult to comprehend for the entire school. Harry was the most traumatized, after witnessing the murder in the graveyard. No one however, felt the same way as Hermione did.

She was overwhelmed by sorrow and regret: she could have known; and she could have saved a life.

Hermione kept thinking about the vague memory she had from reading about the current period in her "dreams". Although she couldn't remember all the details, she did recall the death of a Hogwarts student marking the start of the second Wizarding War. Why couldn't she remember more? Could she have been able to save the young man's life if she did?

She watched the Headmaster argue with Cornelius Fudge in the hospital wing. Standing quietly by Harry's bedside, Hermione quickly recognized the power struggle playing out in front of her. The war had arrived. But it would not be as straight forward as simply joining forces to fight against a known enemy. Reality could be more complicated than the maze still in place in the Quittich pitch from the tournament. It was clear to Hermione that a united front would not come easily. The Headmaster and his supporters would have to be alone for now, and perhaps, for quite a while longer. There would be a challenging road ahead of them to face and defeat the evil raised from the grave.

Unlike her friends in the room, Hermione immediately knew what Professor Dumbledore meant when he told the Potions Master to do "what he needed to do": the Headmaster was sending Severus to Voldemort.

Watching the wizard's billowing cloak disappear into the dark corridor, Hermione wanted to cry. She just watched someone she considered a dear friend being sent off to face the murderer, alone! She wished she could run after Severus and tell him to be careful, to come back safely or at least give him a hug good-bye. But she couldn't do any of that. He was playing his part as a spy. No one else could know his secret. And she had promised him that his secret was safe with her.

But that didn't mean the thought of Severus being sent to the front line of the battlefield all by himself wasn't worrying Hermione sick.

After their brief conversation the night of the Yule Ball, Hermione and her Potions Master seemed to have slowly developed a mutual understanding. She had stayed after class from time to time to share with him bits and pieces of the memory that she could recall from the "dream world", under the cover story of asking her professor potion related questions that none of her friends was interested in. Although none of her memory presented any relevancy to their current environment, Professor Snape never again made any snarly comments during their private meetings. Instead, he listened quietly to the girl's every word. Once or twice, when she recounted the comments his older self made about his students throughout the years, she saw the corners of his lips curling up into a small smile. She didn't miss the opportunity to tell him that he reminded her of the other Severus that she knew. The Potions Master seemed bemused, but didn't respond to her comments. As if still struggling with the idea of developing any kind of friendship with his student, the professor never encouraged the young witch to elaborate on the details of their possible future friendship. Hermione noticed her teacher purposely avoiding asking her anything about her personal life. Instead, he told her to focus on the recount of his own experience by the older Severus Snape from the current time period, hoping to piece together a possible reality from a fragmented memory left in the future.

The more Hermione thought of the conversations she shared with the older Severus, the more she wished she could remember what she had read about the wizard's tasks as a spy during the war. She wished she had paid more attention during the countless times when Toby retold the stories about the hero that the boy admired so much. Severus was more than a hero to her son. He was also _her_ friend, a dear friend; and Hermione couldn't watch her friend risking his life alone. She wanted to help him, especially now that she was given with the opportunity to do so.

When she scanned the castle grounds one more time, something caught her eye and she gasped in surprise. Quickly Hermione climbed up to the windowsill and pressed her forehead against the windowpane, so that she could get a better look at the shadow moving slowly across the grounds.

She couldn't think of anyone else who would return to the castle at this late hour other than Severus. But if that was truly him, something must have gone wrong during his visit with the Dark Lord. Even from a distance Hermione could tell the person walking towards the castle was limping. He was also walking extraordinarily slowly, as if each step he made was a struggle. When he finally got to the bottom of the marble steps outside the castle, he came to a stop, as if trying to catch his breath. And then, painfully, he started to climb the steps, until finally reaching the top of the stairs, and disappearing behind the heavy doors.

Throwing away all of the rules she'd learned in the past four years, Hermione ran across the common room and pushed open the portrait guarding the tower entrance.

"Where do you think you are going, young lady?" The fat lady tried unsuccessfully suppressing a yawn as she called after the girl.

Ignoring the portrait, Hermione ran straight towards the dungeons.

As she ran down the second flight of steps, a white glow suddenly illuminated the castle corridor. Before she could react, a silver doe pranced in front of her. She ran after the Patronus into the main hallway, and watched the doe gracefully dance up the stairs and disappear into the Headmaster's office. _Severus just sent Professor Dumbledore a message..._ she thought to herself. _He must be hurt, and is asking for help. _

Hoping to be there by her friend's side immediately, Hermione didn't even think of waiting for the Headmaster. She turned back towards the dungeon and soon came to door leading to the private quarters belong to the Potions Master.

Hermione had never visited Severus' private quarters. Remembering their conversation in the Headmaster's office, she doubted any student had ever been invited to visit the Potions Master here before. For a very brief moment Hermione wondered what the consequences of her late night visit would be. Taking in a deep breath, she quickly dismissed her worries about the wizard's reaction and knocked on the door.

After tapping on the door nervously for several times with no answer, Hermione bit on her lips hard and tried to decide. Should she walk away? Or try something different... She wondered if she could use the password that the older Severus once told her to get into his cabin. If she was lucky, if he had always used the same password, there would be a chance that she could get in. But then what would this Severus do? Would he understand? Would he forgive her, or would he sever the fragile amity they had only recently began to develop?

Closing her eyes Hermione let out a frustrated sigh. With a shake of her head the young Gryffindor made up her mind. The wards dropped one by one as she murmured the password. Giving the door a quiet push, the young witch was inside the private quarters belonged to no one but the Potions Master.

The room was dark and quiet, with the only light radiating from the fireplace from the far end of the sitting room. Not seeing the wizard around, Hermione quietly made her way towards his bedroom.

"Severus?" She called hesitantly as she pushed open his bedroom door. The bedroom was completely dark, not even a candle was burning. "Lumos." She raised her wand and scanned the wizard's four-poster bed, and found no one there.

Hermione frowned in confusion. She was certain she saw the wizard returning to the castle. And she was sure the silver doe belonged to Severus. _The doe was his Lily._ Hermione remembered how Toby had explained it to her.

Just as she reluctantly made her way out of the room, she heard a low groan coming from behind the sofa next to the fireplace. Carefully she made her way further into the room, and let out a gasp when she found the wizard she had been looking for.

Lying face down on the floor in front of the fireplace was the shaking form of the Potions Master. From where Hermione was standing, she could see half of Severus' very pale face and his tightly shut eyes partially covered by the curtain of his dark hair. His black traveling cloak was torn, covered with dirt and mud. A long tear ran up his trousers from his ankle to his knee, revealing a deep cut in his lower right leg.

Blinking back her tears Hermione ran to the Severus' side. She got down to her knees and gently turned him around and held him up by his shoulders. A tear escaped down her cheek when she saw the cut in the corner of his lips.

Startled by her touch, the wizard's eyes shot open. Blinking at her a few times he rasped, "what are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"I was worried about you since you left tonight and had been waiting for you. I saw you coming back from the Gryffindor common room and just wanted to see if you need any help."

"But how did you get in?" He raised his voice but failed to summon his intimidating growl.

"You... er... the other you that I knew from the future, gave me the password to your cabin when you returned to England for a short trip. I guess you never changed the lock." She smiled at him sadly. "I apologize for barging in like this. But I did knock on the door, several times! You must have heard me?"

"Perhaps you would understand what it means... when someone set up a Muffliato charm... interruptions... are not wanted." He said between clenched teeth.

"But you are hurt! You can use some help! Can I get you anything?"

She watched in surprise as he narrowed his eyes at her and hissed. "No. Get out."

"You are hurt!" She pressed on with her protest. "Let me help you. At least let me help you until the Headmaster gets here."

"What made you think anyone is coming?" He spat bitterly. "Leave me, and get out!"

"But I saw the Patronus you sent to Professor Dumbledore. Weren't you asking him for help?"

"I was sending him a message to let him know I'm still breathing, so he would leave me alone!" With a shaky inhale he finally gathered his energy and let out an intimidating shout. "Now get out!"

"No!" Hermione refused to let go of the wizard as she said sternly, "I don't care if you are going to hex me or kill me or expel me in the morning. But I'm not going anywhere until I take care of that cut on your leg and get you to bed."

"Forget about that cut!" He growled, and began to struggle in her arms, feverishly trying to push her away from him.

Hermione was almost annoyed by the wizard's refusal for her offer of help. Before she could question his objection however, his body gave her the explanation, revealing the reasons why he was so desperately trying to make her leave - he didn't want her to see this.

Hermione watched in horror as the involuntary trembling of the wizard's body became more and more severe. Within seconds, as if suffering a seizure, all of Severus' limbs began to shake violently. She could hear his teeth chattering as his jaw tightened. It didn't take long for her to realize: he was suffering the prolonged effect of the Cruciatus curse.

Not knowing what she could do to ease his pain, Hermione did what her instinct told her. She pulled the wizard back into her arms by his broad shoulders. As his body shook uncontrollably, she held on to him tight, wishing she could calm his nerves with her embrace. To her surprise, he seemed to react to her touch. As she held on to him tighter, his muscle spasm seemed to subside.

"Can I go get Madam Pomfrey for you, please?" She was almost begging through her tears when he finally stopped shaking.

"No." He answered with a moan. "There's nothing she can do to help, and neither can you." With the little energy left in him he rasped, "just leave me. I'll be fine in a few hours."

"I'm not leaving you." She said stubbornly. Without waiting for his reply she conjured out a small bowl and a washcloth. Gently she wet the washcloth and began to dab on the corner of his lips. He let out a resigned sigh and closed his eyes.

In the following hours Severus experienced several more episodes of the seizures. Each time Hermione held him tight in her arms. Between holding the wizard through his seizures she cleaned the wound on his leg and took off his torn traveling cloak. After noticing the warmth of the fireplace was helping his pain, Hermione ignored Severus' protest and removed his coat. With a wave of her wand she transformed the coat into a thick blanket before wrapping it tightly around the wizard's trembling body. Then, she resumed her position of sitting by the fire while holding Severus by his shoulders, and waited.

It seemed like forever until the effect of the curse finally wore off. When the fire began to die down Hermione looked at her wrist watch again. It was past five thirty. Her roommates would be up and looking for her in less than half an hour. Hermione knew she would need to go back soon in order to avoid being questioned. Letting out a soft sigh she pointed her wand at the rug by the fireplace and transformed it into a soft mattress. Gently she lowered Severus down to the makeshift bed. He was obviously too exhausted to wake up. She spent a few more minutes to study the face of the unconscious wizard. He seemed so young when he was sleeping peacefully. For a split second Hermione thought she saw someone else in the man. She frowned as she tried to remember, but couldn't point her finger on that person. Carefully she moved closer to Severus and brushed aside a strand of his ebony hair, and quickly found the crease between his brows. She remembered how she stroked at that crease when an older Severus was lying in the hospital bed in front of her. Not knowing what possessed her, she slowly leaned over, and gently placed a small kiss on the wizard's forehead. The kiss didn't wake the spy, but Hermione could have sworn the crease between his brows seemed lighter. She then quietly made her way out of his private quarters. Throwing him a lingering glance, she closed the door behind her.

* * *

Hermione saw Severus briefly two days after she tended to him in his room. She wasn't surprised when he didn't assign her any detention or other form of punishment for trespassing into his quarters. After all, Hermione had decided the intimidating Potions Master was exactly the same person she had met in a different world. She had concluded he had to hide behind a certain persona because of the dangerous tasks he was assigned. He was the brave wizard that would eventually help Harry save the world, and Hermione was ready to be there to help him. She only wished he would be more open with her, and let her in with his dangerous secrets, instead of treating her only as one of his students.

It was at the end of school banquet. The entire school sat solemnly when the Headmaster made his final address of the school year. That was when Hermione looked up towards the head table in the Great Hall, and caught sight of Severus. He immediately caught her gaze and held it with his dark eyes. She couldn't read his hidden expressions, although she was sure he was trying to communicate with her. And then, something she had never expected happened. He gracefully tipped his head towards her, like a nod, or a small bow, while his eyes never left hers. It was a friendly gesture she had never seen in him. A very small twitch flashed by the corners of his eyes, making Hermione wonder if she had just witnessed a smile from the Potions Master in public. When she blinked and looked at him again, an impassive expression was back to his face. Quickly he looked away, and never looked back at her again.

It was another four weeks later when Hermione saw her Potions Master again. And this time, it was at the Order's Headquarters.

She came to Sirius' house together with Ron and the rest of the Weasleys. She had received an owl from Mrs. Weasley a couple weeks into her summer holiday, asking if she would be interested in helping with the cleaning of the new headquarters.

"It's kind of like a restoration project." Hermione tried to explain the message to her parents, without worrying them with too much detail about the war in the wizarding world.

"That's an opportunity you don't want to miss!" Her father encouraged her from behind the paper. "I think you should go join your friends."

"And I quite like the Weasleys," her mother commented as she listened to her daughter's conversation with her husband. Continuing with her task in the kitchen Mrs. Granger added, "it's also not a bad idea to do something more interesting than simply read through the entire summer. Don't you think Hermione? And by the way honey," she addressed her husband, "didn't Arthur talk to you about something about cars last time when we saw them? Do you think if you should invite him to the auto show next month...?"

Hermione turned quiet when she watched her parents exchanging small words at the dinner table. A crease crawled up between her brows as she thought about the danger that was threatening the muggle world from the horizon. How she wished she knew how to keep them safe! How she wished the muggles could understand _her_ world, and she wouldn't always need to keep secrets from her muggle friends.

Before long she found herself staying at the Black residence at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Although cleaning the old house was time consuming and tiring, Hermione found it interesting examining all the magical antiques hidden everywhere in the house. What excited her the most, however, was when she realized the Headquarters was also the location where most of the Order meetings took place. She was very glad to know she would have many opportunities to see her Potions Master, who she had long ago begun to consider as the friend she knew from the other world.

She was disappointed when she realized Severus never stayed after the meetings, and seldom even lingered in the entrance way each time. On this particular day, Hermione purposely found a seat in the library, where she could keep an eye on the room where the meeting was taking place. As soon as the door began to open, she darted upstairs and said to Ron, "I need to visit the phone booth down the street. I forgot that I promised to call my parents today."

Without waiting for a reply from her friend she ran down the stairs out of the front door, just in time to see the wizard in black walking out of the garden.

"Professor!" She called after him, and smiled brightly when he turned around to face her. "Professor, I haven't been able to talk to you for a while... Do you have..."

"This is not a place to talk." He cut her off with a low voice as he scanned the surrounding cautiously. "Walk with me." He ordered.

She followed him around the block into an alley way. "And this is a good place?" She grimaced as she looked at the graffiti on the walls.

"No." He answered plainly. To Hermione's confusion, he held out his arm. Hesitantly she reached up and held on to his elbow. Before she could let out a yelp, the young witch was pressed through a swirl and deposited in a different street corner.

"I know how to Apparate, you know." She complained quietly as she tried to catch her breath.

"You're not supposed to, at least not the fifteen-year-old you. And besides," he added impatiently, "please do remember you are not of age to use magic outside of Hogwarts in_ this world_."

She frowned as he talked sense into her. How could she forget! She was lucky that she hadn't gotten herself in trouble by using magic since the end of school. When she looked up she found the wizard walking away from her. She hurried her footsteps to keep up with him.

It took her by surprise when she was by his side, as the wizard had changed his black coat into a black leather jacket, a style that was quite common with muggles. When she looked around, Hermione was struck by a realization: Severus had taken her into a busy district in muggle London.

"No one would recognize us here. It's relatively safer to talk, at least for now. There is a bakery I frequently visit when I'm in this part of the town," he explained coolly. "They have a good selection of tea and decent baked goods. I usually get their..."

"Croissants." She chimed in, and grinned at him happily when he raised a brow sideways at her.

"I remember you favor the croissants at the bakery in our neighborhood in... in this other world." She explained. "Let's see if this place is better."

They found themselves a quiet corner behind the counter of the bakery. Casting the _Muffliato_ charm around them, Severus spoke first. "Did you remember anything new? Since we last spoke?"

As if slightly caught off guard, Hermione's eyes widened as she considered his question. "No. I haven't been able remember anything else..."

"Then what do you want to talk about?" He frowned.

"Well," she shifted in her seat nervously, "I just want to see you. And see how... you are."

Letting out a grunt the wizard took a sip of his tea. "I'm fine. But I can't believe I took you here to listen to this."

Hermione pressed her lips together as she studied the cup of tea in front of her. A moment later she summoned her courage and asked, "why did he curse you?"

He was surprised by her question and was momentarily speechless. After a long pause he replied, "I was late."

"He cursed you just because you were late?" Her eyes widened. "How are you going to do this... this... _job_ without getting seriously hurt?"

"It's not just late for any events. And please calm down before I have to pull out my wand to silence you." He hissed in a low voice. "I was late to respond to his summon when he returned. I consider myself lucky to be able to come back alive. No need to worry yourself, Miss Granger. I know what I'm getting myself into."

"Do you?" She didn't miss a beat.

He arched a brow at her question.

"Does Dumbledore know about all that? Did he know you were cursed when he sent you to face Volde..."

"Don't say his name!" He spat. "It's my job to do and it's none of Dumbledore's business to know how I get it done."

"Why not?" She couldn't believe her ears. "You are working for him and he needs to come up with ways to protect you! He should be concerned about your safety!"

"Nobody cares..." He mumbled.

"I do!" She immediately voiced her protest.

"Perhaps you shouldn't!" He barked.

Hermione swallowed hard and locked her eyes on the cup of tea in her hands. Silence fell between them. A long pause later, much to her astonishment, she heard him say, "forgive me... Miss Granger."

Her eyes shot up at him in shock. Those were the words she had never expected to hear from him.

Taking in a sharp inhale he explained, "it's been a long time since... anyone ever... cared about me. And I'm..." He stumbled on his words. "Not used to it. What I should have said is... Thank you for being there for me, Miss Granger."

She broke into a teary smile as her soft brown eyes found his deep dark ones. "Call me Hermione... and... you are welcome."

There was another long pause between them, but the air around them seemed much easier to breathe.

"So... does that mean I can ask you a question?" She looked up at him bashfully.

"A question?" He let out a huff. "Why even bother asking for permission? The world would end before you stop asking questions."

She ignored his comment, knowing perfectly well he was not really angry with her. "Well, does the... Dark Lord... punish his followers often?"

He shook his head quietly and looked back at her. "No, not often. Only if his follower appeared to have switched sides and joined Dumbledore in his absence. He needed to know if this follower is still trustworthy. The Cuciatus curse can usually break down any attempt in blocking him entering the mind."

"Did you..." She frowned in concern.

"What do you think?" He rolled his eyes. "I'm not dead, am I? And the neighborhood surrounding Black's house is not yet packed with Death Eaters. Your professor can be a really hard nut to crack."

She giggled out loud at his words. His reply reminded her so much of her old neighbor who used to talk to her like this every day. He watched her giggling in front of him, completely bemused by the sight. Miss Granger seemed to have transformed into a different person when she laughed. She was so relaxed, so carefree, and so... pretty.

He frowned at his own thoughts and dropped his head to study the cup in front of him. A moment later he ventured out with a question. "So... Hermione... I've never asked you. Who's the father of your son?"

Completely unprepared for the question, Hermione gaped at Severus for a long moment, before finally uttering her answer. "Er... I don't know."

TBC

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_**What do you think? I have a windy road for our friends in the story. Hope you're ready for it. =)**_


	9. The Mistake

**_A/N: Sorry about the delay... An important anniversary celebration got in the way. Twelve years! Still feels like the middle of honeymoon. =)_**

**_Luna de Papel... Lets just pretend for a moment that we live in a virtual world where I have the magical power to send a wizard (you know which one I have in mind) to your door. Would you like him to sing you Happy Birthday? =)_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

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**Chapter Nine – The "Mistake"**

"So... Hermione... I've never asked you. Who's the father of your son?" Severus ventured out with a question that had been lingering on his mind for some time.

Completely caught off guard by the question, Hermione gaped at Severus for a long moment, before finally uttering her answer. "Er... I don't know."

The wizard pressed his thin lips tight together and glared at the girl in front of him disapprovingly. After an uncomfortable pause he shook his head slowly and drawled, "I have to admit... I had expected your judgment to serve you better."

"Oh no no no..." she turned scarlet as she realized what her answer implied. "It's not what you think! I... it wasn't... I... just... can't remember."

He arched a brow at the young witch in amusement. "Unfortunately, you are not making the situation sound any better." He stated coolly.

"Oh my..." Hermione buried her face in her hands and let out a frustrated grunt. "It sounds awful, doesn't it? But it's really not like how it sounds." Slowly she looked up at him and tried to explain in the calmest voice she could muster. "Remember I told you I woke up in this other world without any memories from this one? The park ranger who found me under a redwood tree took me to a police station for several tests. In the end they concluded I was not under any influence. They couldn't explain my loss of memory so they sent me to a local muggle clinic, and did more tests. But other than discovering I was eight weeks pregnant, they couldn't give me any answers to explain my condition. But no matter what, I'm sure it's not like what you are thinking."

"I'm in no position to judge, am I?" He stared at his cup of tea. "If I remember it correctly, you did tell me you were of age when you appeared in this parallel universe. You are certainly old enough to be responsible for your own actions, I suppose."

"I remember casting an age verification charm on myself, and found out I was over nineteen, but not yet twenty." She felt her ears burning in embarrassment. This couldn't have been a more awkward conversation. Taking in a deep breath she tried to change the subject. "I hope this doesn't sound... corny, but I really need to thank you for talking to me the night of the Yule Ball. Your words pulled me out from weeks of depression."

She hesitated with her words when she looked up and saw only an impassive expression in the wizard's face. Looking back down at her hands Hermione continued. "I did need the positive perspective of looking at this whole experience as a second chance. Just think of the difference I can make, although obviously I haven't been doing a very good job… I wish I could have foreseen Cedric's death." She let out a sigh and shook her head. "I'm just hoping I can soon remember some useful information from what I read about this time period, and help to prevent further losses." After a short pause she went on, "and at a personal level, for a selfish reason, I know I can certainly use a second chance."

She dared a glance up at Severus and found his dark eyes watching her intensely.

"Why do you say that? If I may ask?" He arched a brow at her.

Sending Severus a small smile Hermione began to explain. "The biggest regret I had to live with all those years in the other world was that I couldn't remember anything about my relationship with... with Toby's father, other than sensing a misunderstanding between us right before our separation. I do hope I can do everything right this time and perhaps..."

"Toby?" Severus' eyes narrowed at the young witch.

"Oh yes, that's my little boy's name." Her smile broadened as she thought of her son.

Severus fell quiet and turned to look out the window. It had just started raining. Muggle umbrellas opened one after another, like a fast forward film of wild flowers blooming in the field. "You never told me that's his name." He frowned, before staring into the distance.

"You never asked." She let out a soft chuckled. "But that's alright. I understand. We've never had any conversations like friends before today, have we? You probably couldn't see beyond a student in me all this time." She shook her head and let out a quiet laugh. "I wish you could though. I really don't feel like a fifteen-year-old girl. Thank goodness I'll be sixteen in September. At least I'm moving towards the right direction and am getting older. I just wish time could go by faster. I'm not sure if I can take being lectured like a child for much longer..."

"Who named your son?" He didn't seem to be listening.

Her eyes widened at his strange question. "I did, of course." Hermione answered plainly. "Although I have no idea why that name just popped into my head when he was born. I know it sounds ridiculous but I couldn't even remember my own last name in this other world! You wouldn't believe it..." She let out an uneasy laugh. "But the family name that I chose for us was actually from a word carved in the back of a necklace I was wearing. So yes... Toby is his name. Toby Prince. Why? Does that matter? Do you think there is a clue in the name I chose for him? Do you know who Toby's father is?"

She watched in confusion as the professor glared at her intensely for a long moment, before answering darkly. "No. Why should I? Little can be said about a name. But it's obvious you'll need this second chance, isn't it? Being a single parent at such a young age most certainly brought you plenty of disadvantages. Make sure you use the brilliant head of yours and make sound judgments this time around. Don't let that bloody Gryffindor bravery and sentimental ideology cloud your vision. If you are lucky," he drew in a sharp inhale before finishing his sentence icily, "perhaps you can avoid making the mistake and having the child."

Severus narrowed his eyes at the girl across the table as she stared at him with anger burning in her eyes. It was obvious to him the witch was furious. He frowned as he realized he was not witnessing a school girl's temper tantrum. He was face to face with a woman, a mother, and a very angry one. Before Severus could come up with a sarcastic comment to address the girl's reaction, Hermione hissed dangerously, "never... never call my son a mistake. No matter what the circumstances were, Toby was never a mistake. Never!"

As the last word left her lips, Hermione bolted from her seat. Without waiting for a response from the wizard she stormed passed him and walked straight through the door.

"Wait!" Severus let out a growl before quickly digging into his wallet and pulled out a few muggle bills. Throwing the money on the table he ran after the girl. "Stop!" He shouted into the rain, making several muggle pedestrians looking back at him in confusion. "Miss Granger!" He spotted her crossing the street, without slowing down at his words.

"Hermione!" He called again as he tried to find a break in the line of passing cars "Don't go any farther! Wait for me right there!" He shouted again, worried that she would Apparate without him. The last thing Severus wanted to deal with now was to see her drawing to herself any attention from the Ministry.

But his worries seemed to be unnecessary.

As if having done so hundreds of times, the girl flagged down a black taxicab and opened the door leading to the backseat. She paused for a brief moment before entering the car, looking up towards him. He felt a pang in his gut when he saw the pain in her face. Before he could call out another word, the girl got in the car, which quickly disappeared into the downpour.

Running a hand through his now completely wet hair, Severus let out a frustrated sigh. This was not what he had expected, at all.

* * *

It was a purposeless walk in the rain. Wandering along empty streets, Severus tried to sort out the emotional mess that was eating him alive.

The young witch's words were too much for him to process. Severus didn't know what to think of Hermione Granger any more.

She had no idea how far from the truth her statement was when she assumed he couldn't see beyond his student in her. If she only knew... his troubles had all just begun when he _did_ see the mature woman trapped in a teenage girl's body. It was too obvious when they had their conversations. The way she described her experiences, articulated her observations, and conveyed her opinions all sounded nothing like a school girl. If Severus were to close his eyes, he would've been sure he was conversing with a colleague. He had secretly enjoyed their short discussions after class. She talked to him like an old friend, which was a very strange experience for Severus; because he couldn't remember when it was the last time he had a _friend _to talk to.

And then there was the night when she came to his aid. He was certain his miserable appearance would have scared the witch away. Instead, she stayed by his side, cleaned his wounds, and held him in her arms the entire night.

Years ago Severus had read about an unconfirmed study conducted by the healers at St. Mungo's. It was said that one of the most effective treatment for the lingering damage by the Cruciatus curse was bodily contact with someone who shared a deep emotional connection with the victim. It was said the Longbottoms would have died from the after-effect of the torture had they not had each other to hold on to. Severus didn't think much about the information at the time. After all, the study was unconfirmed. As far as his concerns, although Severus had experienced the curse first-hand, he had never thought he would have the good fortune to test out the theory. He knew where he stood in the world. He was all alone, with no one who would care about him enough to touch him.

But he seemed to have been proven wrong. As far as Severus could tell, the theory was verified when the young witch showed up in his room. When he was held tightly in her arms, he felt a surge of magic run through the spasm of his muscles. The presence of Hermione Granger calmed his nerves and soothed his pain. Did she really care about him that much? Severus wasn't sure if he wanted to know. After all, she was still his student.

He had been trying to avoid seeing her since the end of school. Knowing she was staying at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Severus always tried to leave as soon as the Order meetings were over, because he wasn't sure what he should say to her. Should he thank her? Would a simple "thank you" be enough? What should he do next? Should he encourage this "thing" between them? He wasn't willing to define this "thing" as anything more than "friendship", because the other alternative was simply inappropriate to consider.

On this particular day however, she didn't give him the option to quickly make his leave. He was surprised by the moment of exhilaration he felt when he heard her calling his name in the garden. As soon as he turned to look at her he knew he simply couldn't walk away with an excuse. He had missed her. He kept telling himself it was just another conversation with a young friend when he ordered them tea at the bakery. As their conversation went on, however, he was shocked by her words: she had named her son Toby, Toby Prince.

It would have been too much of a coincidence. And Severus was instantly terrified.

He would've been lying if he said he didn't care about the girl. She did change the way he saw her in the previous few months. But he still had a hard time getting over that she was his student, no matter how she didn't sound like one. Having a relationship with a student and producing a child was never something Severus could imagine himself doing. It was not right, not acceptable. Or was it?

He looked up into the darkening sky and let the icy drops of rain washed down his face. What was he supposed to do? Was this a second chance for her? Or for him? Frustrated, confused, and cold, Severus could only think of one thing he must see to: at least he needed to make sure she made it back to the house safely. It was, after all, his responsibility if anything happened to her when she was out alone in these dangerous times. The Dementors could go after Harry Potter. No one could guarantee that they wouldn't also go after his friends.

Quickly Severus found an empty alley way and used it as a cover. With a soft pop the wizard Disapparated into the pouring rain.

His timing was quite right when he rounded the corner towards Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. He watched as the black taxicab pulled up slowly, and the brown-haired witch emerged from it. He felt his heart racing as he watched her call out the hidden house and run to the front door. In a split second he thought for sure he was going to call out her name and ask her to forgive his rude words. He soon was glad however that he didn't. Right before the young witch reach the top step of the stairs, the door flung open and a red-headed boy came into view.

"Hermione! Where have you been? Mum has been scolding me for almost half an hour! She said I shouldn't let you go out by yourself. Hey... what's wrong?"

Severus watched from a distance as Hermione rushed pass Ron Weasley and ran into the house.

"Hermione! Are you crying? What happened...?"

That was the last word Severus could hear before the young wizard closed the door behind him. Within seconds, the Order's safe house disappeared into thin air.

Thunder boomed in the distance and the rain continued to pour as if determined to wash away all the reasoning in the world. The wizard in black closed his eyes and let out a shaky sigh. How he wished the rain could also wash away his misery. With a whirl of magic, he disappeared with a quiet pop, leaving not a trace in the wet and gloomy street corner.

* * *

"What are your plans for getting my godson to my house?" Sirius entered the kitchen with a bottle of firewhiskey and three shot glasses in his hands. "Are you sure you don't want a shot Arthur?" He set a glass down in front of Remus and one in front of Mad-Eye, and asked Arthur Weasley as he set the last glass down for himself.

"Thanks Sirius. I think I'll pass." Arthur smiled at their host and turned to help his wife carrying a basket of bread to the table.

"Yes, we're all set!" There came a cheerful voice from the other end of the table. With a stack of plates in her arms, Tonks was walking around the table happily distributing them and the silverware. When she walked pass Mad-Eye she tripped over the cane lying next to the wizard. Luckily Remus was right there to catch her by her waist.

"Are you okay?" The wizard asked with great concern while taking the remaining plates from Tonks. "Go sit down. You must have had a long day. Let me help you with these."

"Um... thanks Remus." Tonks' hair turned into a bright shade of pink as she passed the rest of the plates to the wizard.

"What do you mean _we_ are _all set_ Tonks? Why didn't I receive any instructions?" Sirius brought the young witch's attention back to the table.

"Oh I'm sorry..." Tonks brushed aside a strand of hair and tried her best to hide her blush. "I thought Mad-Eye had told you about it already. I've sent the Dursleys a fake invitation to an award ceremony. They were quite taken by the surprise, that Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. The day after tomorrow they will be all dressed up for an evening outing. We will take the opportunity to pick Harry up by broom."

"Do you have to announce the Order's plans to the entire world?" Mad-Eye growled from behind a newspaper. "What happened to my advice to you?"

"Oh I'm sorry..." The pink-haired witch frowned at her mentor's words. "I thought everyone here knew about this already. I didn't realize..."

"Right... Everyone here knows except for me!" Sirius raised his voice and scanned the room. "Why didn't anyone tell me about the plan?"

"Calm down, Padfoot." Remus set a plate in front of his friend and padded his back. "Remember what Dumbledore said? You need to stay put. We'll bring Harry here the day after tomorrow."

"But that's my godson! Why do you all have to listen to that bloody Dumbledore!" Sirius slammed a fist on the table. "I'm sick of being cooped up in this damn house!"

"Sirius," Molly chimed in from a corner of the kitchen. "Watch your language... the children..."

"Children?" Sirius rolled his eyes. "They are just as capable! Within a couple years they will be ready to take on the Death Eaters themselves. Don't let me start reminding you how old we were when we got involved with the fight the last time around..."

"Padfoot." Mad-Eye put down the paper in his hands and shot the wizard a glance in annoyance. "You know perfectly well Dumbledore is right. You'll only bring unwanted attention to the Order if you go out there. We don't need any more trouble right now."

"Trouble? You call me trouble?" Sirius boomed. "Think twice before you speak Mad-Eye! You lot are the ones who invite a Death Eater to tea every week, sitting in my house talking about the weather. What's that greasy git doing here? You let him in with the action but not me?"

"Sirius." Remus sat down next to the aggravated wizard and put a hand on his shoulder. "Did you have too much to drink again?"

"Keep your hand off of me!" Sirius bellowed. "I'm so sick of staying in this sodding house all day long. I'd rather die fighting than sit here hiding."

Sitting in a corner of the table between Ginny and Ron, Hermione frowned at Sirius' words. She didn't understand why that statement sent a chill down her spine.

"Look at that greasy git." Sirius went on with his bitter complaint. "He sweeps into our meetings every time like a saint walking into a worshiping hall. Why do you all listen to him anyway? What makes his information so valuable?"

Trying desperately to calm his friend, Remus scolded Sirius harshly in a low voice. "Sirius! You're making a scene! Severus is on our side now. We all have different assignments. His job is to pass along the information to us. And yours happens to be staying here, for now."

"Don't try to pacify me Moony." Sirius said between clenched teeth. "You of all people should know... Snivellus is not trustworthy. That git is full of lies! You're all going to be sorry one of these days."

"I trust Dumbledore." Remus replied sternly. "He trusts Snape, and so should we."

"Really mate?" Sirius narrowed his eyes at the wizard next to him before scanning the room. "Do you all trust the git just because Dumbledore trusts him? The thought that the old man might be wrong never crossed your mind?"

The room was so quiet that the only sound could be heard was the charmed ladle stirring the bubbling stew on the stove.

"Snape is one of us, Sirius." It was Mad-Eye who finally broke the silence. "Dumbledore cleared his name years ago. I was there. End of discussion!"

"You are all a disappointment to me." Sirius let out a grunt and stormed out of the room.

Shaking her head and letting out a sigh Molly brought the stew to the table. "Alright everyone. Dinner is served. No more discussions about the Order business. Pass me your bowl Hermione, and Ginny, you too. Let me get you some beef stew..."

Hermione sat quietly in her seat, playing with a piece of potato in her stew with her spoon. She had no interest in the food in front of her. All she could think of was Severus.

Replaying Sirius' words in her head, Hermione quickly realized Severus had very limited allies in this war. Was Sirius the only one who shared the sentiment about the former Death Eater? Would everyone still trust Severus and help him if Dumbledore was not there to back him up?

She wished she could have had a longer conversation with Severus earlier that day. How she wished he would let her be his friend! But she didn't understand why it hurt her so much when Severus called Toby a mistake. Did she overreact to his observation? Thinking back, Hermione had to admit her simple story of having a child at a young age with no knowledge of the father of the baby sounded painfully wrong.

A small smile crawled up the corner of her lips when she recalled the night she brought Toby to Severus' garden to watch the meteor shower. How she wished this Severus would know her Toby! She was sure that if the older Severus liked the boy, so would the wizard's younger self. Then she remembered the words the older Severus shared with her during that quiet night in his garden. He had told her about a mysterious woman who had given him a reason to fight the war. Was she with him already? Hermione could feel her heart turning into lead at the very thought. Was it jealousy that was eating her? Without realizing it, Hermione's brows twisted in a tight knot as she stared at the stew absentmindedly.

"Hermione my dear, are you alright?" Molly suddenly appeared from nowhere and asked the young witch kindly. "You're not touching your stew. Did you catch a chill in the rain?"

"No, I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione answered quickly and tried her best putting up a small smile. "I'm just not very hungry tonight."

"I'm sure Sirius' rant didn't help your appetite, either, did it?" Molly shook her head and walked away.

No one but the pink-haired witch sitting across the table caught Hermione's quiet sigh. Tonks had been watching the girl from a distance the entire time. Smiling inwardly Tonks picked up her spoon and turned her attention back to her barely touched stew. Apparently she was not the only young witch who might be love sick at the table.

TBC

* * *

**_I think Hermione needs a girlfriend right now. But I'm afraid Ginny is not quite the one to offer any advice on those specific issues. Sorry about the slightly slow development. I guess relationships take a lot of time and faith, especially when it comes to this special pair. =) But still... We'll have some speeding up to do next time!_**


	10. What Friends Do for Each Other

**_A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! And what a wonderful feeling it is knowing you're waiting for the next chapter so eagerly. I wish I could update every week, really. However, I do have a day job, quite a demanding one, and a night job as a mom and a wife. Hopefully I can maintain a schedule to update at least every other week. But if I can I'll for sure do it more frequently. And if you don't hear from me, you know I'm working on it! =)_**

**_Also, I feel a need to address a question from an anonymous reviewer here... shouldn't Hermione worry about her son who may soon return to a home without his mother? Well, if we follow the logic of the story, you'll see why Hermione has a much bigger problem to worry about at this moment. She is currently living in the "past", which means from her perspective, the timeline in which Toby went for a ski trip simply stops, or, in a worst case scenario, will never exist. What really should worry her now is whether or not she can still find the same man who will eventually become Toby's father, don't you agree?_**

**_Luna de Papel... thank you for your magic touch... and forgive me… I'll have to undo my "evilness" soon! =)_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Ten – What Friends Do for Each Other**

Once upon a time in a very different world, Hermione was sure nothing could make her behave more irrationally than the hormone surge she had experienced during her pregnancy with Toby. How wrong she was! Apparently adolescence was a real bitch; and she wasn't even talking about the annoying pimples that "magically" appeared without any assistance from Fred and George! Day in and day out, Hermione felt as if she was ready to explode from all the emotions raging inside.

To start off, she found herself tearing up unreasonably often. Anything could trigger the collapse of the fragile dam guarding her emotions. It could be a light-hearted comment Sirius would make at the dinner table about the overly dramatic break-up he once had with one of his ex-girlfriends; it could be Mrs. Weasley pointing out how quickly her children had grown up; and even Crookshanks managed to bring Hermione to tears when the half-Kneazle's age started to show when he failed to escape Tonks' careless boots.

And then there came her temper. Hermione had never thought her temper could be so short, and had even begun to wonder if her outbursts were the true reason for her being sorted into Gryffindor House. She felt guilty when Ron and Harry acted as if they had to walk on eggshells around her when she was upset. However, feeling a little bit guilty didn't stop her from nearly hexing Ron and the twins when she heard the boys snicker behind her, mumbling something about "must be that time of the month" and "like a Hungarian Horntail".

This unexplainable frustration frequently lead to tears, which was truly a vicious cycle; and it made the teenage witch miserable for the rest of the summer holiday. However, the mood swings caused by her raging hormones were only partially responsible for her misery. She definitely had a much bigger reason to be upset: the frustration of not being about to talk to a certain wizard named Severus Snape.

Since the day she had stormed out of their conversation in the bakery, Hermione couldn't stop thinking about Severus. Although he was supposed to be her professor, he was also her neighbor and close friend in another world, and the only one who knew and accepted her "out of the world experience" in this reality. Blame it on her forgiving nature, Hermione got over her anger at Severus' calling her son a "mistake" rather quickly. She had accepted the fact that this Severus Snape didn't know her boy; and her story of being a young mother without knowledge of the man who fathered her son sounded nothing but scandalous. If Hermione could do it all again, she thought she should have avoided answering that question from Severus, so that he wouldn't think of her as some woman who lacked principles and integrity. Unfortunately for now, it seemed as if the damage had already been done. The wizard seemed to be avoiding her at all costs.

Week after week, Hermione tried waiting in the library outside the Order's meeting room, hoping to catch the wizard on his way out. But she had no such luck. Hermione almost found it unbelievable that she was never once able to successfully engineer a chance to talk to Severus for the rest of the summer holiday. The man almost always left in a hurry. A couple of the times he even slipped out of the meetings early, as if knowing Hermione was on her way down to the library.

And then, finally, the wait was over; and the Hogwarts Express couldn't move fast enough for Hermione Granger.

* * *

Hermione looked up towards the head table in the Great Hall and quickly found her Potions Master. Her genuine smile was only returned by a cold glare and a small frown from the wizard. There was no excuse that Severus didn't see her, for his attempt to quickly look away was painfully obvious to Hermione. Letting out a sigh, the young witch looked down at the golden plate set before her through her tears. Being in the same castle with him still did not make anything better.

In fact, things got a lot worse quickly after term started. It was not just for Hermione, but for everyone else as well; because they all had to deal with the new DADA teacher: Dolores Umbridge.

The witch from the Ministry was a complete nightmare. Hermione wanted to gag every time she heard Umbridge's high-pitch voice. Her syrupy tone reminded Hermione of another annoying person from the future universe where she resided temporarily. How she wished Severus could slam the door in Umbridge's face, just like his older self did to Mimi Weinstock.

The thought of Severus often brought a tight knot between the young witch's brows. She wished she could continue their friendly meetings after class. But she somehow couldn't bring up the courage to face the wizard alone. He had developed such a cool attitude towards her, making Hermione wonder if the account of her future as a single mother had made her an unworthy candidate for a friend in the wizard's eyes.

In this particular evening, Hermione was once again lost in her memories from that rainy day; and her internal struggle was quickly spotted by one of her friends.

"What's the matter Hermione?" Ron asked while lounging lazily by the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room. "Are you still worrying about not being able to use magic in the DADA class? Don't let that Umbridge woman get to you. I say you have no reason to worry about the OWL. Our DA practice surely will get us ready before the exam."

Shaking her head slightly Hermione replied. "No, I'm not worried about that. Harry is a really good teacher." She gave the young wizard with unruly black hair a small smile. "But speaking of Umbridge, I do think she has worse plans for Hogwarts. I knew she had a hidden agenda from the beginning. I'm just not sure how far she'll go." She turned her attention to Harry. "You are awfully quiet tonight. Are you okay? Are the scars from the blood quill getting any better?"

"Huh?" Hermione's question seemed to have caught Harry by surprise. "What? Oh... Yes... Thanks. Let's not talk about it alright?"

"Right! Maybe we should talk about something else." Ron sat up from the sofa and frowned. "Maybe we should talk about those bloody nightmares of yours, mate. You are really scary when you twitch and scream in your dreams you know."

"What nightmares?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"It's nothing." Harry mumbled. When he realized his two best friends were not going to take that for an answer he let out a sigh and said, "I don't know what to think of it, okay? It's just really weird. And I have no idea how to get rid of them. I'll try to be quiet tonight Ron." Without waiting for his friends' reply, the young wizard grabbed his books and left.

Watching him retreat with great concern Hermione commended sympathetically, "poor guy. He's probably feeling so alone, not even having a parent to talk to. I wish we could help him in some ways. You're with Harry all the time. Do you have any ideas?"

Ron only shrugged at Hermione's words. If the witch couldn't find a solution to help their friend, he was sure he wouldn't find a better answer either. The two Gryffindors sat quietly by the fireplace, wondering what was terrifying their friend in his dreams.

It didn't take Hermione very long to realize the severe implication of Harry's nightmares.

Two days later at breakfast, she found only Harry in the Great Hall.

"Morning, Harry. Where's Ron? Is he not feeling well? I couldn't find Ginny, either." She sat down across the dark-haired wizard at the Gryffindor table, absent-mindedly looking around. When she turned her attention back to the young wizard her she let out a gasp. "And what happened to _you_? Look at those bags under your eyes! Did you have a nightmare again?"

Harry shook his head quietly before looking up at her. "It's all messed up Hermione. I don't know..." He stopped and looked around them, relieved to realize people were beginning to leave the table and the corner of their table was getting very quiet. "I saw _him_ attack Mr. Weasley... last night. Professor Dumbledore sent Ron, Ginny, Fred and George home to go visit Mr. Weasley at St. Mungo's."

"You saw _him_ attack..." Hermione frowned at her friend's words. "What do you mean? It was in your dreams? You were watching the whole thing?"

"No... It's worse... a lot worse." Harry shook his head in distraught. "I don't know if I'm possessed. It wasn't like I was just watching the whole thing. I was there. I was the... the snake!" The young wizard dropped his head and buried his face in his hands. "And for a moment in Professor Dumbledore's office I almost thought I wanted to attack him too! I really think I'm cursed... or something like that... Professor Dumbledore may know what's happening to me. But he won't even talk to me! He only sent me to take Occlumency lessons with Snape."

"Occlumency?" Hermione was surprised. She had been taking private lessons with the Headmaster for months, all along thinking it was the foundation for some more advanced magical theory. "Why Occlumency?"

"Snape said something about Voldemort being able to somehow get into my head if I don't concentrate on shielding him. He said Occlumency is the only way I can block out the access." Harry let out a frustrated grunt. "So now I not only have to deal with the nightmares, but also have to take private lessons with Snape, starting from the week after Christmas! That in itself is a nightmare, Hermione! Snape is a nightmare! He hates me! He's going to try everything to make my life miserable I'm sure!"

Hermione's bit on her lips with her brows furrowed. She didn't hear half of Harry's bitter complaint. And then a question slipped her lips, "why Professor Snape? Why can't Dumbledore teach you Occlumency?"

Harry arched his brows at the unexpected question. Frowning slightly he shrugged. "No idea. You'd think Dumbledore knows it just as well as Snape, if not better. Maybe he's too busy? It almost seemed like Professor Dumbledore didn't want to look at me last night. Maybe he's still worried that I'll get him in some sort of trouble with the Ministry, and wants to maintain some distance? Remember I told you how he didn't want to deal with me after the hearing over the summer? It never got any better since then."

Hermione's frown deepened as she pieced the information together in her head. For the rest of the day she didn't say much, but somehow an intense fear and worry for the safety of a particular Potions Master was threatening to consume her.

* * *

Severus had decided he would keep an extremely cool demeanor around Hermione. If her time-traveling experience was meant for her to have a second chance, he would make sure he wouldn't be there to ruin it.

He was convinced that he must have had something to do with the young witch becoming a young mother at the age of nineteen in a parallel universe, because he couldn't think of any other reasons why she would wear a necklace resembling one of his mother's, or name her child after himself. He was also increasingly worried about his feelings for her, the inappropriate and unhealthy feelings, as he reminded himself over and over again. To make things worse, it didn't take him long to notice Hermione's longing gaze lingering upon him. He was almost on the verge of a panic while he met her caring gaze one day, sensing for sure the girl was going down the same path and may someday make the same mistake she did in the other life. If that was going to be the case, he would have no choice but to be the one to stop her feelings from going that far. After all, he tried to reason with himself, she was just a teenage girl, and this must be a schoolgirl's crush on her teacher that could soon be forgotten.

But Hermione Granger was an unusual witch who would challenge his determination and self-control.

It was a little past seven one evening. The wizard let out a grunt as he glared at the big pile of essay on his desk. It had been a long day; and dealing with a class observation with Hogwarts' new High Inquisitor was far beyond unpleasant. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Severus wondered if there was a charm to make the pile of homework grade itself.

That was when he heard a soft knock on his door.

His brows furrowed as he watched the young witch that he had been avoiding enter his office, before closing the door quietly behind her.

"I don't recall assigning you any detentions. And you had certainly exhausted the questions one can possibly ask during the class." He said coolly. "Which leaves only one reason for you to be here. I expect your report on your regained memory to be brief and to the point. I need it to be quick, unless you want to do my work for me and grade these papers." He wanted to kick himself for blurting out the last sentence.

Just as he had dreaded, she offered him a smile that tickled his heart.

"I would be happy to help you grade essays if you'd like, as long as they are from the younger students. It wouldn't be fair if I grade the paper from my classmates or the upper grade students," she said pleasantly.

"I don't have time for small talk Granger." He kept his voice cold and stern. "Please make the point of your visit clear. Did you remember anything useful?"

Hermione dropped her head and let out a soft sigh. "It's Granger again, huh?" She paused for a moment, as if trying to fight back a great disappointment. He watched her curiously as the witch drew in a deep breath.

"No, I didn't remember anything new that would be useful. However I think you should reconsider agreeing to teach Harry Occlumency," she stated calmly but firmly.

He frowned at her words. After a long pause he sneered. "What gave you the idea that you are in the position to make recommendations? Or did the boy beg you to come talk to me so that he could get away from actually putting some effort in his magical studies?"

She looked up bravely to meet his dark eyes and shook her head. "No, Harry doesn't even know I'm here, and I'd like to keep it that way. As far as my position... Well, I don't have a good answer for you. But I also don't think Dumbledore had your best interest in mind when he gave you the assignment. He's not being careful and responsible forcing you to do this. It's not fair."

Arching a brow at the witch Severus got up from his seat. Walking around his desk he stood before her and asked, "care to elaborate your point?"

"Well, think about it. Dumbledore wants Harry to learn Occlumency so that Voldemort won't get into Harry's mind and manipulate him, right?"

"I suppose Potter explained the whole purpose of these lessons to you." He commented impassively.

"He did. But why can't Dumbledore teach Harry? And don't try to fool me. I know he can do it. But why does he make YOU do it?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Why does that matter? The Headmaster has many other duties. Although it will be certainly an unpleasant experience dealing with the boy, one or two private lessons won't change things very much. If you are truly concerned about my workload, I'm afraid you'd have to convince the School Board to hire additional teachers."

"No, you don't understand!" Hermione let out a frustrated sigh and began to pace in front of the wizard. "Dumbledore has been avoiding Harry since the end of last term. There was a reason for that!"

"Certainly." Severus answered coolly, "even the old man has a limit for arrogant teenagers."

"Severus!" Hermione exclaimed, and immediately realized what had just left her lips. Although she had been calling the wizard by his name in her dreams as long as she could remember, she hadn't used it in front of him for a very long time. The way she called him seemed to startle both of them, but Hermione quickly regained her composure. "Listen to me. This has nothing to do with Harry. And I'm not even going to start arguing with you about how wrong your opinions about him are. But look, the whole reason why Dumbledore has been avoiding Harry is because he doesn't want Voldemort to get to him through Harry's vision. Isn't that why Harry needs to learn Occlumency? If Voldemort can somehow get to Dumbledore through Harry, what makes him think Voldemort wouldn't get a glimpse of YOU during your lessons!"

"Do you have to call him by his bloody name?" Severus barked. He had to admit the witch's reasoning was logical, and couldn't find an angle to immediately criticize her assessment of the situation.

"Okay I'm sorry. It's you-know-who." She replied in frustration. "But do you see how dangerous it would be if he sees you through Harry's eyes? What would he do when you stand before him next time, pretending to be his most loyal Death Eater?"

Frowning at the young witch before him Severus was speechless. He wasn't sure what struck him the most: the fact that Dumbledore didn't even warn him about such a possibility, or the fact that Hermione Granger was the one to come and warn him about such danger. For a brief moment he remembered how she told him to stop drinking the night of the Yule Ball, and how she held him in her arms after he was badly cursed. How he wished he could have someone who truly cared about him like her in his life. After blinking at the girl a few times, however, rational thinking took over. Severus turned slowly away from Hermione and said, "we all have our roles to play in the war, and danger is part of the job. I've made the promise to protect the boy. If what you said was true, I'd have to take the chance, because obviously Dumbledore has much bigger responsibilities and cannot be compromised."

"Just because you want to redeem your mistake doesn't mean you have to die in the process!" She felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"Why do you care?" He bellowed, feeling his self-control weakening by the minute. "Why can't you stop worrying about me!"

"Because you're my friend!" She wouldn't back down. "I can't stop worrying about you because that's what friends do for each other!"

Silence fell between them. After a long pause Severus said coldly, "it's not your place to worry. If there is nothing else, you should leave now."

Hermione frowned at the wizard's words. And suddenly a thought occurred to her: he didn't need her to worry about him, because she had no place in his life! He must already have someone else for that role. It must be HER - the woman the older Severus once told her about. Feeling jealousy raging through her veins Hermione bit on her bottom lip, but couldn't hold back the tears in her eyes.

"Right..." She choked on her words. "I'll leave you alone."

As she turned away from him she heard him walking towards her. Feeling defeated she didn't want to look back at him. She let out a gasp when she suddenly felt his hand on her arm. Quickly she turned around and found his dark eyes pouring down on her with a tenderness she couldn't remember seeing from him since she woke up in this world. She felt her heart racing as she held his gaze.

The wizard closed his eye and let out a sigh. Moving his hand away from her he swallowed hard. A moment later he opened his eyes and said quietly. "I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I should... thank you for the warning and... let you go."

As quickly as it came, the tenderness in his voice disappeared. The wizard quickly walked away from the witch and sat down behind his desk, with his eyes fixed upon the paper in front of him.

Trying with all her might to calm her beating heart, Hermione blinked back the tears, opened the door and soon disappeared into the candle-lit corridor.

* * *

The weeks leading to Christmas seemed to have lost some of its magic with the High Inquisitor roaming the castle. The Great Hall seemed glaringly empty without Hagrid setting up the Christmas tree. Sometimes you'd only begin to miss certain things when they're not there.

Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table one Saturday morning, contemplating her plans for the day.

Ron and Ginny were still away visiting Mr. Weasley. Harry was clearly depressed without Ron around. He wasn't interested in anything outside of the Common Room, and had even turned down Hermione's suggestion to take a trip to Hogsmeade. Letting out a deep sigh, Hermione decided she'd go to the one place where she could always find something to cheer her up.

As she absentmindedly made her way down the castle corridor, a friendly voice suddenly came from behind. "Wotcher, Hermione! I thought I saw you leaving the Great Hall."

Quickly turning around, Hermione smiled brightly at Tonks. "Fancy seeing you here Tonks!" she greeted the pink-haired witch happily. "What brought you to Hogwarts?"

"Um... well..." Tonks shifted her guitar from one shoulder to the other and took a quick glance around them. "I'll have to tell you later." She smiled mysteriously at Hermione and said. "It's great I bump into you here though. I've meant to ask you something for a while. Where are you heading? Want to go to Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer? My treat!"

"Oh..." Hermione considered her original plans. "I was just going to the..."

"Aha, let me guess... must be the library!" Tonks giggled. "Your reputation precedes you, Hermione! Come on, it's Saturday. Books can wait, can't they? Come have a pint with a girlfriend!"

Hermione chuckled and quickly accepted the invitation. She loved being around Tonks. The Metamorphmagus had a contagiously cheerful spirit that always seemed to be able to brighten everything around her.

The Three Broomsticks was quite a bustling place on that Saturday. Tonks led Hermione to a corner of the pub and they found themselves a small table. Carefully, she set her guitar case against the wall. "Here," she said pleasantly. "I've learned my lesson. Got to have bulky things placed safely away from myself. I'm dead clumsy you see, and making a scene in public can be slightly embarrassing."

Wearing a big grin on her face Hermione began to savor the Butterbeer in front of her.

"Say, it's time to spill the beans." Tonks took a swig from her glass and glanced at the young witch across the table teasingly. "Who is he?"

"Huh?" Hermione's eyes widened. "What... what are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, you can't hide from me!" Tonks giggled. "It's dead obvious, you silly witch. I know you're in love. So tell me, who is the lucky boy you've got a crush on?"

Hermione let out an uneasy laugh and shook her head. Despite the rebellious blush quickly invading her cheeks she denied it, "no no no... there's nobody, Tonks."

"Really?" Tonks leaned closer to Hermione and said in a low voice. "You are talking to an Auror you know. And I did pick up some useful skills from Mad-Eye. Do you really think you can fool me?" She finished her question with a wink.

"Well..." Hermione hesitated. "It's complicated. He's a bit older, not really a boy anymore."

"That's not surprising." Tonks shrugged as she took another drink of her Butterbeer. "I always see you as more mature than your age. And I, too, agree with you. I think older blokes are a lot more interesting and attractive. So is he a sixth-year? Seventh-year? Gryffindor? Does he hang out with the three of you often?"

"Oh no..." Hermione smiled miserably at the young Auror. "Not even close. I don't think he'll ever get along with Harry."

"Oh oh oh I know!" Tonks raised a finger and said excitedly. "He's a Slytherin, isn't he? That's why you said things are complicated. And that's why you are not telling any of your friends about it, isn't it? I've asked Ginny over the summer and she didn't know anything about it. Well, she's still young. You can't blame her if she can't pick up on those _symptoms_. I'm just here to listen. You don't have to tell me who he is you don't feel like it." She winked at Hermione again.

Hermione nodded at her friend's words, feeling grateful that the interrogation would not continue.

"But why do you look so miserable though?" Tonks asked curiously. "How long have you two been seeing each other?"

"No... we haven't really been seeing each other." Hermione sighed. "We've known each other for... a long time. He means a lot to me, and I care about him a great deal. But I don't know what he thinks about me."

"Ah I see... the blossoming of a love interest." Tonks' smile broadened. "I take it he's the quiet type? Not very good at communicating with a girl? What do you like about him?"

"He is incredibly loyal, amazingly intelligent, and lethally... handsome. What confuses me though is his attitude. I know he's capable of being kind. But he can be gentle and warm one minute, and freezing cold the next."

"Boys are funny." Tonks nodded at her own words. "They never know how to deal with their feelings. You know how little boys always tease the girls they like? Most of them take years to figure out how to handle the way to talk to girls. Some of them don't even get any better when they are well into their thirties. Give him some time, and maybe he'll get it."

"Well I wish..." Hermione murmured. "But I'm also worried that he may already be taken."

"Taken?" Tonks arched a brow. "What do you mean? Have you seen him with someone?"

"No, not really." Hermione began to chew on her bottom lip.

"Then what makes you say that? Is he engaged? I know some pure-blood families introduce their children into the marriage business at a very young age. They can be engaged before they learn how to ride a broom! It's crazy if you ask me. But that doesn't really mean anything. He'll still be able to say no and change his mind. It's never set in stone until they are married. I'd say if you like him, and he's too shy, you may just have to be the first one to clear things up!"

"But what if..." Hermione frowned. She couldn't share her "dreams from another world" with Tonks, and she didn't expect Tonks to understand her hope to find Toby's father. After considering her words carefully she said, "what if he is not the right one?"

Her question made Tonks burst into a fit of giggles. Trying hard to catch her breath Tonks exclaimed, "my dear girl! You're such a bookworm, reminding me of someone else I know." She winked mysteriously at Hermione. "But back to this worry of yours. Dear lord! If you don't try it out, how do you know he's not the right one? Do you think there is a manual you can find in the library that will tell you who your Mr. Right is?"

Eying the young witch curiously Tonks went on with her encouragement. "Don't you worry! Give it a chance. Talk to him and let him know how you feel. You may be pleasantly surprised!"

Hermione shook her head quietly and took another sip of her Butterbeer. She very much appreciated Tonks' advice, but still wasn't sure if she should do as the Auror had suggested. Hoping to change the subject, she smiled at the pink-haired witch. "Thanks, Tonks. I'll think about it. So... you haven't told me. What brought you to Hogwarts?"

Hermione watched in amazement when a small blush crept up Tonks' cheeks. The Metamorphmagus threw a careful glance around their table and said, "if I tell you you'll have to keep a secret for me, at least until after Christmas."

"Sure. What is it?"

"I just went to visit Severus in his lab." Tonks answered quietly.

A pang of jealousy hit Hermione in the gut. The smile froze in her face and she felt like she wanted to cry.

TBC

* * *

**_Why is Tonks visiting Severus? Hermione is dying to know._**


	11. Things We Do for Love

**_A/N: Here I come before you... to undo my evilness. =)_**

**_Luna de Papel... Love those commas... Everyone in the story collectively wants to thank you for providing them room to breathe. =)_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven – Things We Do for Love**

"I just went to visit Severus in his lab." Tonks answered in a low voice while holding back a mischievous grin.

The smile in Hermione's face froze and she felt like she wanted to cry.

"What?" Tonks arched her brows. "Why do you look so surprised? Does everyone have to react like Sirius? Is it really so bad to pay a visit to the Potions Mater?"

"No... Of course... not." Hermione blinked a few times and drew a deep breath. "I didn't mean that." She dropped her head and began to trace the cold frost covered Butterbeer glass with her fingertips.

"Well good!" Tonks let out a relieved sigh and took another drink of her Butterbeer. "Now aren't you going to ask me why I went to visit him?" She winked at Hermione teasingly.

Hermione bit on her bottom lip and looked away, dreading the answer she was about to hear. Was Tonks the one? All this time? "Right." She asked quietly. "So why were you there?"

Tonks' smile broadened and she leaned forward towards Hermione. "I talked him into letting me help him brew a potion!"

The air in the pub was getting hard to breathe. Chewing on her bottom lip Hermione forced a smile. "Well that's nice."

"Don't you think?" Tonks relaxed back into her seat. "I thought he would appreciate it, too. It's almost insane if you consider all the things the bloke has to do for the Order. Dumbledore is asking him to brew all the potions for the supply stock. You'd think Sirius should at least give the man some credit for not complaining."

Watching a drop of cold water slide down the wall of her glass, Hermione felt her heart slowly breaking into pieces. Bitterness was all she could feel. However, this was Tonks. Hermione couldn't bring herself to hate Tonks. So if the pink-haired witch was the one, if she would be the one to make Severus happy, Hermione thought she'd have to respect the wizard's choice. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself before looking up at Tonks with a sad smile. "I'm sure he appreciates your help."

"Well I hope so." Tonks sighed. "But he's such a difficult person to deal with. He saw through my selfish purpose right away! And his snarly attitude... Oh lord, he made me feel like I was his student again and deserved a detention just for talking to him. Fortunately I was quite 'convincing' I suppose, so he finally gave in."

"So what potion are you going to help him brew?" Hermione couldn't bear hearing another word. She tried desperately to change the topic.

"That's the secret you'll need to keep for me." Tonks' blush turned from a shade of pink into scarlet. "I want to surprise Remus with a Christmas present. I know it's really difficult to brew Wolfsbane Potion, and it can be dangerous if it's not done properly. But I don't think I should worry if I can get the famous Potions Master from Hogwarts to help me out, don't you agree?"

"No..." Hermione frowned. "I mean, yes, of course. But what did you just say?" She still couldn't wrap her mind around the information. "A surprise for Remus? Not Severus?"

"Of course it's Remus, you silly witch! Why would I want to surprise Severus? I don't have a death wish you know." Tonks giggled as she refilled Hermione's glass. "I guess that's also why it was so easy for Severus to spot my selfish goals. After all, Remus is the only one who needs the Wolfsbane Potion."

"So how exactly did you convince him to teach you?" Hermione was slowly recovering from the rollercoaster of emotions.

"Well..." Tonks smile widened. "I threatened to visit his lab again if he didn't agree to help me. Did I mention my guitar knocked over a shelf and I accidentally broke a cauldron before I even started telling him the purpose of my visit? He was so crossed by the time I told him I couldn't take 'no' for an answer. If not because Professor Dumbledore just happened to stop by his office in the dungeons, I was sure he was going to hex me! When he weighed his options, I think he would much rather owl me the instructions than seeing my face in his lab ever again! Oh Hermione... you should've seen his face! I probably would've wet myself if I was still a student in his class. Ah... all the things we do for love..."

Hermione giggled hysterically as she listened to her friend's story. Tonks felt quite amused to see the change in the young witch during their conversation. One minute she seemed so down, and the next so happy as if she won the title of the Golden Harp Award for the year.

Later that day, the young Auror wondered if something in their conversation had to do with Hermione's "blossoming love interest". The thought, however, was quickly forgotten by the time Tonks met up with her friends at Dominic Maestro's for the newly released Weird Sisters record.

* * *

The few days Hermione spent at home over the Christmas break was unusually uncomfortable. She hinted to her parents about the war looming in the horizon. Mr. and Mrs. Granger however, could not relate to any of their daughter's worries.

"It can't be that bad, sweetie." Her mother looked up from the dishes in the sink and smiled at her daughter. "If this 'Dark Lord' was really going to 'rise into power', I'm sure your Headmaster would send us a letter and discuss the situation. Don't you think, honey?"

"Huh?" Mr. Granger answered from behind his newspaper. "Sure, darling. No worries. I've been watching the stock market and things have been looking quite good. I think our piggy bank is in good shape for our trip to Australia one of these days. And oh, Hermione, what is it with all those stories you heard from school? I know the wizarding world has kept some interesting traditions. But a 'Dark Lord' and his followers? They all sound like characters in a fantasy novel about medieval times. Are you sure you didn't spend too much time in the library reading teenage fiction?"

"Stop making fun of your daughter!" Mrs. Granger pretended to scold her husband. "You know Hermione doesn't like to waste her time on fiction. Am I right, sweetie?" She went on to tease her daughter. "Or have you developed any new interests? I hope my sixteen-year-old is not getting too much into romantic stories. Were there any boys that caught your eye? You may want to bring him home so that your father and I can make a proper assessment for you."

"Oh, mother!" Hermione sighed in frustration and ran to her room. Her parents' disregard of her warning only increased her worries. How she wished they were more connected to the world that she belonged!

It was somewhat a relief for Hermione to be able to join Harry and Ron at Number 12, Grimmauld Place on Boxing Day. At least everyone around her shared the same anxiety and concerns. It was a strange feeling for Hermione to compare Ron's relationships with his family and her own with her parents. In a way, she could relate to Harry better than anyone else. Just like her, Harry was quite alone in the wizarding world, too.

While she could certainly use a little less of Mrs. Weasley's overly protective attitude, Hermione couldn't help but agreeing with the witch that Harry's godfather was pushing the young wizard a little too far, too soon. It seemed to Hermione as if Sirius was recruiting Harry to join the Order, not that the young wizard needed any more convincing. She held her tongue and didn't voice her disagreement with Sirius because she knew the wizard cared about his godson and loved him just like his own. After all, it must have taken a fair amount of control for the Marauder to hold back his personal opinion about Severus and encourage Harry to learn Occlumency from his Potions Master.

And before they knew it, the Christmas break was over and the young wizards and witches returned to the majestic castle once again.

* * *

Hermione could have predicted the short-lived mentorship between Harry and Severus. If Dumbledore had allowed himself to acknowledge the two wizards' interaction over the years, the Headmaster should have had no reason not to see this coming, either.

It was an early evening when Harry stormed into the Gryffindor Common Room, which was still slightly crowded by the students returning from the Great Hall after dinner. He was immediately greeted by his two best friends.

"Blimey, Harry. Your face is so red! What happened?" Ron dragged Harry to the sofa by the fire.

"I thought you went to your lesson with Professor Snape. Did he let you out early?" Hermione asked in a low voice.

Shaking his head quickly Harry frowned at the fire. And then, after a long moment of silence, the young wizard murmured. "He threw me out."

"What?" Ron gasped. "What did you do?"

It was another long pause before the dark-haired wizard answered. "He had something from his past that he didn't want me to see. He had put it away in a pensive. I was early. He wasn't there. So I took a peek... and he caught me."

"What did he say?" Hermione leaned forward and asked with great concern.

"He said he'd never want to give me private lessons again." Harry sighed. And then he added, "it's probably a good thing. I never wanted to be there anyway. I should have guessed... Snape hates me..." Without another word of warning, the teenage wizard abruptly got up from his seat and ran upstairs to his dorm room.

"That's weird." Ron scratched his head. "Don't you think he should be happy now that he doesn't need to go see Snape for private lessons anymore? Didn't he say he didn't want to be there? I just don't get it..."

"Maybe you can talk to him about it later." Hermione began to pick up her books. "I need to go to the library and check on something for the extra credit assignment for Charms. Want to come along?"

"On no... I'll pass." Ron quickly got up too. "I'll go see Harry. Maybe he'll want to talk about it now. Enough reading for the day... for me, anyway."

Hermione gave her friend a small smile and quickly disappeared through the portrait hole. She was glad Ron didn't suspect anything, because she had an important visit to make.

* * *

"Miss Granger! What a pleasant surprise!" The Headmaster greeted the young witch warmly. "Lemon drops? I've procured some sugar-free ones from my last trip to muggle London. They're quite good! A new product, as they told me. You can hardly tell the difference!"

"No thanks, Professor." Hermione answered politely. "But I was wondering if you have a few minutes for a question."

"Of course, my dear. But I thought you've been making very good progress with Occlumency. Surely you don't have more questions since our last lesson already?"

"Just why exactly did you want me to learn Occlumency, Professor?" Hermione asked in an even tone, trying hard to contain the emotions within. "And please, don't bother telling me it's the foundation for something more advanced. We both know that isn't the case."

"Ah, I see." Dumbledore smiled at the girl. "Curiosity leads to discovery, discovery leads to uncertainty. Please, take a seat."

Hermione sat down carefully at the edge of the chair opposite to the Headmaster's. "I've already worked it out, Professor. You want me to be prepared to conceal certain information, don't you?"

The Headmaster nodded slowly, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "Oh yes, dear. I understand you are close to Harry, and trust that you will be assisting him through many of his adventures. Occlumency is only a necessary skill for you to have to ensure your safety and Harry's."

"Was Harry really the one that was on your mind when you first offered to give me private lessons?" Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Or were you more concerned about your spy at the time?"

Dumbledore frowned at the question, but didn't say a word.

"Am I wrong to say that there has been a shift in your concerns lately, Professor? If you can teach me Occlumency, why can't you teach Harry, too?" Hermione pressed on. "Have the circumstances changed so much that your spy is no longer worth as much as he used to? In fact, his worth must have declined so much that you've deemed it worthwhile to put his life in danger, just so that you don't have to deal with a boy who may very possibly be controlled by Voldemort. Am I right?"

"Why do I sense such strong emotions behind your words, Hermione? Why do I have a feeling these are not questions you need me to answer, but accusations you can hardly contain inside your head?" The Headmaster let out a chuckle and got up from his chair. With his hands behind his back he began to pace the floor. "Priorities change, my dear girl, especially in circumstances like this. I have long suspected you will develop a special friendship with Severus, based on a glimpse of your conversation with him shortly after you woke up from your dreams. So yes, my original plan was to prepare you to protect the knowledge of him being a spy for the Order, or any other information he may be willing to share with you. Things certainly changed since Voldemort's return. Until I know the extent of Voldemort's control over Harry, I have to maintain a distance from your friend. In the event of an accidental infiltration, I couldn't risk granting him access to the Order's plans. That's why I delegated the task to Severus, who happens to be a very capable Occlumens himself. You certainly can understand my reasoning, can't you?"

"But what about Professor Snape? You are putting him in a very dangerous situation. What will happen to him if there is such an 'accident' like you fear? What will he do then, when he has to stand before Voldemort again after that monster has already discovered his association with the Order? And in case you've never noticed, Harry and Severus never got along. I'm afraid your lesson plan only made things worse between them."

"It may not be a bad thing for them to harbor certain bias towards each other, Hermione. Maintaining a little distance from the boy may make it easier for Severus to do his job later on." Dumbledore continued to smile warmly. "That relationship may just play out nicely when the time comes."

"Play out?" Hermione gasped. "Are we all pawns in your chess game? I have always thought you care about people. Or are you only using them to achieve the goal of your 'game'?"

"I wish you wouldn't be so harsh, Hermione." Dumbledore sighed. "If I didn't know better, I would ask you to come back later when you're no longer so angry. Being a stubborn Gryffindor myself however, I know that wouldn't be a very wise suggestion. So... before you do or say anything you may regret... allow me to assure you: of course I care about all of you. But we are at war, not a dinner party. Certain compromises have to be made. Certain risks will have to be taken. Severus knows it too."

"Of course he knows." Hermione spat bitterly. "He came to you when he made a mistake at a very young age, and willingly offered his help. What have you done with that offer? You've been using him! Did you ask how his visit was when he went to see Voldemort the night when he returned? Did you know he was cursed by that murderer? Have you ever considered any backup plans for him? How will he get out of all this in the end?"

"I have to admit you know more than I expected." Dumbledore stopped in front of the witch and nodded quietly. "I truly didn't expect him to share his troubled past with you. In case you didn't know already, Severus is a very capable wizard, and very resourceful. I'm sure he can find his way out of a tight spot. And by the way, I didn't know... I didn't know he was injured during his visit with Tom." The old man frowned.

"So that's your plan to protect him? To count on his _capability_ and _resourcefulness_? Can't you provide some other assistance to back him up?" Hermione could feel the anger boiling inside of her. "You have to! Please! Promise me you will!"

"Hermione." Dumbledore let out a deep sigh. "_Promise_ is a big word. What if I can't be there to help him? Physically prevented to help him?"

"Then think of another way, if not physically then magically, Professor! You have the entire Order protecting Harry. But Severus is the one who has to face Voldemort alone, ALL THE TIME! He's the one who'll need help at some point. Who will be there for him? You need to come up with a backup plan to protect him!" Hermione could hear her heart pounding in her ears. A voice in the back of her mind was telling her that her request was not a reasonable one. However, the knowledge of the old wizard not having Severus' best interest in mind and was only playing him like a soldier in his army infuriated Hermione. It seemed to her as if the Headmaster was ready to send his spy on a suicide mission, only because Severus wouldn't say "no".

"Why does Severus' safety concern you this much, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked curiously. "I thought Harry is your best friend."

Chewing on her bottom lip Hermione considered the situation before her. With a small frown between her brows, she slowly thought of a plan.

"Harry is a good friend of mine, Professor. But Severus is a good friend, too." Hermione took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "I'm sure there are things you know about Harry that you're not sharing with anyone else, which leads me to believe you need him very much in this war. What I'm asking is for you to arrange a backup plan to help Severus, and be there for him when he needs your help the most. If you can do that, I'll give you something you'll need."

Stroking his long silver beard the Headmaster considered Hermione's words. A moment later he said, "I didn't expect to enter into a negotiation, Miss Granger. But with all things considered, I'm willing to hear your offer."

Taking a deep breath Hermione got up from her seat and walked away from the old wizard. Running her fingers along the volumes displayed on the Headmaster's bookshelf she slowly began. "I'm the only child of my parents, Professor."

"I think I'm aware of that." The Headmaster tilted his head slightly at the information.

"I've talked to my parents about the war over the Christmas break. They are considering leaving the country. And they'd like their only daughter to stay away from the war, and attend the wizarding school in Australia," she lied.

Dumbledore's eyes widened as he realized where the witch was going.

"I told them I needed to think about it." Hermione continued calmly. "From what I've experienced in the past four years, I can see why you think I'll be there to help Harry along in his many adventures. I'm one of the many people you have included in your plan, and in an important role, if I'm not overestimating my value in your game. You will need my help to protect Harry, or assist him to achieve his goals, whatever they are that you have in mind. If you give me your promise that you'll make arrangements to help Severus, I won't leave the country with my parents, so you'll have me by Harry's side throughout the entire war. If you can't make the promise…" Hermione stumbled on her words. It was, after all, not an easy lie to tell. "I'll follow my parents' wish and leave Hogwarts by the end of the school year."

The room was awfully quiet as the Headmaster took in the young witch's words. A long pause later he observed, "you certainly don't sound like a sixteen-year-old girl, Miss Granger."

"Maybe because I'm not." Hermione answered quietly. "Even if that was only a dream, raising a child in a complete foreign environment all alone while running a small business did offer me some good practice in negotiation. So... what do you say, Professor?"

"How do I know you are not playing a game with me, my dear?" The twinkle in the old man's eye returned with a gentle tone in his voice.

"Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not. Would you like to make a bet?" Hermione stared at the old wizard.

Chuckling softly Dumbledore walked towards Hermione and placed a hand on her shoulder. "How I love your Gryffindor spirit! But curiously, I see a bit of Slytherin in you tonight. So be it, Miss Granger. I think you've got yourself a deal."

"Good." Hermione let out a relieved sigh. "Just to be clear, you promise you'll always have a backup plan to protect Severus."

"And you promise you won't leave with your parents and will stay here to help Harry."

Before the Headmaster could finish his sentence, his office door flung open and in came the Potions Master. With the door wide open they could hear the gargoyle's protest. "It's a privilege given to you to visit at will, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't have the courtesy to knock before you enter!"

Ignoring the gargoyle Severus stared at the young witch before him. "What have you done?" He hissed. "Haven't I told you to stop worrying about me?!"

Fighting back her tears, Hermione bit on her lips hard. Without a word, she ran past the wizard and disappeared into the corridor.

"I only heard the last few words. What are you making her promise to do?" Severus asked the Headmaster urgently.

"I didn't make her do anything, my boy." Dumbledore chuckled as he made his way back to his chair behind his desk. "She only made a promise that I knew she's always going to keep."

Ignoring the Potions Master's glaring black eyes, the Headmaster settled down in his favorite armed chair. "However, I have to admit, it was indeed a liberating conversation. I'm glad to know you found yourself such a loyal ally."

"What do you mean?" Severus narrowed his eyes.

"I think Miss Granger cares about you more than anyone you've ever known, Severus." Dumbledore answered warmly. "And I'm very glad you can count on such a good friend. And forgive me for not asking, you're here tonight because..."

"I'm through, Albus..." Severus growled. "I'm through with that Potter brat!"

TBC

* * *

**_It was indeed a very weak threat coming from Hermione. It was certainly not meant to show off her negotiation skills. As Dumbledore had quickly realized, her visit was completely driven by emotions, not calculated logics. No one is perfect, especially not the sixteen-year-old Hermione... _**

**_Thanks for following through this transitional chapter. Excitements (dare I say… actions) will begin... in the next chapter! =)_**


	12. Second Chance in Disguise

**A/N: I find it extremely fascinating that there are such different (and extreme) opinions about Dumbledore. Here is a thought... What if he was not that evil, yet also not that noble? Could the man be somewhere in the middle, flawed, limited, basically a human being like everyone else?**

**Luna de Papel... Thanks for saving me from making an unforgivable mistake!**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve – Second Chance in Disguise**

Severus cursed under his breath as he walked through the narrow path covered by moss and fallen leaves. Every step he took, he was further away from the castle and deeper into the heart of the Forbidden Forest.

_What the bloody hell was that Potter brat thinking! When will he ever learn the meaning of subtlety? Why couldn't he pick up any of Lily's intelligence and had to inherit all of his father's arrogance instead?_ Severus let out an angry grunt as his dragon-hide boots crushed the dry leaves under his feet. _Didn't he know that Dumbledore would never left his golden boy unprotected, even at Hogwarts? Why couldn't that brat at least consider consulting the only Order member in the castle after that kind of vision? Oh no... not the heroic Boy-Who-Lived! The famous Harry Potter must live up to expectations and challenge every possible danger in his way!_

By the time Severus received the Patronus in the form of a very large dog, and confirmed that Sirius Black was in fact safely residing in Number 12, Grimmauld Place, the Potions Master immediately realized what had happened: the Dark Lord had successfully infiltrated Potter's mind and manipulated the teenage wizard's thinking. Hoping he was not too late to find a way to explain the situation to the young Gryffindor, mind you, in a subtle way that Potter probably wouldn't understand, Severus returned to Umbridge's office. Instead of being able to keep the situation under control, however, he only found several of his Slytherins moaning in pain on the floor.

When his Head of House entered the room, the Inquisitorial Squad's leader, Draco Malfoy, immediately began his whiny recount of their fight with the few students accompanying Harry Potter. Severus frowned in annoyance. He almost wanted to slap the blond-haired wizard, only if that could make him get to the point quicker, and as soon as he heard the mentioning the Forbidden Forest, Severus dashed out of the castle and ventured deep into the woods.

He wished he could still count on Hermione Granger to reign in the foolhardy Potter. But with four other of Potter's followers around, Severus doubted any possible attempt to reason with the young wizard could be effective. He wished she had come to him before they took off. Should he have stayed after class a little longer that day, instead of leaving immediately like he had done in the past few months?

Shortly after Dumbledore's meeting with Hermione, the Headmaster tried to convince Severus to consider the friendship offered to him by the young witch. The suggestion bothered the Potions Master greatly. Severus had been taking note of the Headmaster's manipulative nature. He knew Dumbledore had a grand plan for the entire war, and was always bitter when the old wizard refused to share with him any details. What was the meddling old man's true motive behind suggesting him to befriend the young witch? How would any association with him, a spy and a former Death Eater, benefit her in any way? Severus quickly decided against Dumbledore's suggestion, and continued with his plan to avoid the young witch at all costs.

In this particular afternoon however, Severus couldn't stop second-guessing himself. Could the current complication have been prevented if he had met with her after class? Could the situation be less dire if he had told her that he would be there for her if she needed help?

Severus' thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a herd of centaurs rushing through the woods in the distance, dragging something resembling a human body behind them. He quickly raised his wand and strained his eyes to try to identify the person, fearing the worst. Fortunately, a scream reached his ears and offered him much needed relief.

"Put me down! You filthy half-breeds! How dare you touch me! I'm from the Ministry! Help! Put me down...!"

Severus let out a grunt in disgust as he recognized the owner of the high-pitch voice. However, if the centaurs attacked Umbridge, what would they do to Potter and his followers? What could happen to... Hermione?

"Potter! Granger!" Severus could feel the anxiety quickly build up inside of him. "Granger! Hermione!" He called in a low but urgent voice.

He held his breath when he heard the sound of horse hoofs trotting towards him. Halting his footsteps, he pointed his wand at the thick woods.

Emerging from the shuffling leaves was a majestic red-haired Centaur. "Who is the human standing before Ronan?" The creature asked sternly. "Are you, too, foolish enough to challenge the territory of Bane?"

Very slowly, Severus lowered his wand and inclined his head slightly towards the Centaur. "My name is Severus Snape. I am a professor at Hogwarts, and an associate of the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. I apologize for the intrusion. Please understand that I come to the Forest in peace, for I only wish to collect my two students. They have recently wandered into the woods by mistake. They are only teenagers, and wish you no harm."

The Centaur trotted around Severus and observed the wizard curiously. "Severus Snape..." He murmured. "How interesting..."

Severus frowned at the words from the Centaur named Ronan, not knowing what his words meant and how he should respond. A moment later, Ronan continued. "I've read about you in the stars... the wizard with an ambivalent relationship with fate..." He paused in front of Severus for a brief moment, as if trying to make up his mind about the information he should reveal to the wizard. A moment later he added, "yes... the intelligent man who can't recognize a second chance in disguise... I shall say no more... As for your two students, they were joined by four others. Are you the one responsible for their ignorant behavior?"

"Yes, indeed." Severus bowed down a little lower. "Please accept my sincere apology. They will be disciplined as soon as they return to the castle. I believe it is also in your favor if I can help you rid of unwanted intruders?"

Nodding slowly, Ronan pointed to a small path leading off of the main track. "They went after the Thestrals, and I believe they left for your Ministry. What about the other one?" He looked up towards the opposite direction and nodded at the herd of centaurs in the distance. "The unpleasant female?"

"I have no intention of collecting her." Severus answered coldly. "You can keep her if you like."

The Centaur huffed angrily in reply. "We have no interest in keeping her. Having our revenge and teaching her a lesson is all we wish to do."

"Very well," Severus glanced over towards the screaming witch. "I will make arrangements to have her removed from the forest when you're done."

The red-haired Centaur rose on his hind legs and let out a snort. "Leave! Go after your foals. Take your war away with you. Your conflict is not wanted in our world."

Without waiting for a reply from the wizard, the Centaur turned around and galloped into the thick woods, leaving Severus alone in the quiet clearing, contemplating the newly received information about his six errant students.

With a wave of his arm, a silver doe pranced out of the tip of his wand. Watching his Patronus disappear into the sky, Severus knew the Order members would soon be at Potter's side, likely ready to go through an intense battle with the Dark Lord's most loyal Death Eaters. He wondered which Order members would be able to get there on such short notice. Would they have time to relay the message and Apparate to the Ministry right away? Would they have enough force to protect Potter and his followers... and... Hermione?

Feeling utterly frustrated with a situation that was clearly out of his control, Severus let out a low grunt and made up his mind. With a swirl of black smoke, the wizard disappeared into the sky under the cover of the wings of a flock of startled crows.

* * *

It had been a long time since Severus last cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself. He never found it necessary on his many missions as the Order's spy, because he was always able to find a way to listen to private conversations unnoticed. But on this day, eavesdropping on a conversation was not his goal. If he had to be honest with himself, he had to admit going to a battle scene was not the most brilliant idea for a spy like him. The Disillusionment Charm could quickly wear off if he was hit by any hexes or curses, no matter how minor. If that happened, he would reveal himself in front of the other Death Eaters, and create unwanted complications.

However, concerns about holding up the charm quickly became the last thing on Severus' mind. He felt more and more alarmed as he searched through the first few levels in the Ministry complex, unable to find any trace of either the teenagers or the Death Eaters.

It was not until he reached Level Nine when Severus heard hexes and curses blasting in the chambers. Making his way swiftly towards the chaos he tried to make out the voices. To his further concern, he couldn't recognize any voices of Order members, only the screams and shouts of teenagers trying desperately to fend off their attackers.

He didn't even realize that he had started running towards the sounds when he heard the familiar voice which belonged to the young witch who had been pulling on his heartstrings for countless months. It sounded as if Hermione Granger was dueling with two or three Death Eaters. When Severus darted through the Time Chamber he heard the witch call out a stunning curse. Her shout was followed by a loud crash, as if her curse hit someone with a rather heavy built. Right when Severus reached the end of the Chamber, he heard her call out a silencing charm. Slightly confused by her choice of hexes, Severus followed the noise and ran into an office off of the Chamber, right in time to see a purple light shot out from a Death Eater's wand.

Severus raised his wand instinctively and threw a shielding charm between the witch and the Death Eater, only to find it too late to block the curse. The purple light hit Hermione right at her chest. Severus felt his heart caught in his throat as his perception of time slowed down and events developed in slow motion in front of him. Hermione's eyes widened when the curse made contact with her. Her mouth opened slightly, clearly exposing that she had been caught by surprise. Severus watched helplessly as the young witch dropped her wand and took a stumble backwards, knocking over a lamp on the desk before tumbling down to the floor.

Feeling his blood boil with anger, Severus pointed his wand at the Death Eater and hissed a curse under his breath. A green light flew out of his wand and hit the Death Eater right in the face, silencing him permanently.

"Who's there?" Harry Potter raised his wand, pointing at the empty room. "Show yourself!"

Severus ignored the young wizard and quickly reached Hermione's side. Kneeling next to the young witch he intended to reach for her neck and check for her pulse, but found his hands trembling uncontrollably. Was he too late? Had she been able to silence the Death Eater before the curse was cast? Because if she didn't... Severus closed his eyes and clenched his hands into tight fists. He was too afraid to guess. After all, there were many choices in dark magic, other than the Killing Curse, to inflict deadly wounds.

"Harry... I don't see anyone. No one's there. Maybe it's some sort of security devise in the Chamber..." Neville Longbottom emerged from behind a chair.

"Hermione..." Harry ran to his best friend's side, fighting back his tears. "Is she..."

Quietly Neville walked up to the young witch on the floor and reached for Hermione's wrist. "There's a pulse, Harry. I'm quite sure she's got a pulse."

Neville's words brought relief to both the other two wizards in the room. But Harrys' attention was quickly drawn to a loud bang and shouting from a room next door.

"We have to go help the others," Harry said. "But we can't leave Hermione here." He glanced warily around them. "I don't trust this place."

Harry's words pulled the thoughts of the invisible wizard from the unconscious witch to the battle in the adjacent chamber. Before Severus could make up his mind about whether he should reveal himself, however, Neville got down next to Hermione and pulled her up by her arms.

"You're better at dueling, Harry. I'll carry her."

Severus sneered at the chubby young wizard, not understanding why he suddenly felt so jealous as he watched the teenage boy gather Hermione's limp body into his arms. He, Severus Snape, should never, ever, need to be jealous of Neville Longbottom!

"Let's go then." Harry picked up Hermione's wand and helped Neville up. Without a backwards glance at the bodies of the two Death Eaters on the floor, the young wizards made their way out of the Time Chamber, an invisible guardian trailing behind.

* * *

Severus almost feared the worst when he cast another strong protective shield: the teenagers were quickly losing their ground. It was then when five bright lights flew into the Death Chamber, announcing the arrival of Shacklebolt, Mad-eye, Tonks, Lupin, and Black.

"It's about time." Severus growled as he watched the Order members take over the battle. He had been trying to buy the young wizards and witches' time for the past ten minutes, firing off subtle hexes and jinxes. Now that the Order Members had arrived to take his place, he had no doubt Potter would have all the protection he would need. For Severus at the moment, the safety of one particular witch was all he had on his mind.

Hermione had been left leaning against the wall earlier, when Neville had tried to fend off a string of Cruciatus curses from Bellatrix Lestrange. Severus had no idea where the young wizard was, but felt certain satisfaction knowing he had yet to get himself killed despite his clumsiness. Looking down at the young witch's pale face, Severus remembered the few words he caught her saying to Dumbledore when she visited the Headmaster shortly after the Christmas break. Even though the Headmaster didn't explain their meeting to him in much detail, Severus understood that she had traded her commitment to help Potter for a backup plan for his own safety. Gently, he brushed aside a strand of her dark brown curls, wishing she could look back at him with her honey brown eyes. But she didn't move. Frowning at the lack of visible wounds on the witch, Severus pointed his wand at Hermione and cast a few quick diagnostic charms. It didn't take long for him to confirm his suspicion: the damage done by the dark curse was to her heart and nervous system. He quickly decided she would need something more than potions.

Wishing the battle would soon be over, Severus looked up to observe the room. It seemed as if the Order Members had met their match. Jinxes and curses were flying all over the place like electric shocks and fireworks. The missed curses blasted all over the room, throwing colorful sparks around them. No matter how hard they fought, however, there was no sign that the situation was anywhere near under control.

Severus' attention was quickly drawn to the duel between Bellatrix Lestrange and Sirius Black. Both reckless, both arrogant, and both slightly rusty after the years spent behind bars in Azkaban, the wizard and the witch made a great pair. Watching Bellatrix with narrowed eyes, Severus thought she was about to turn into a wild animal. Animagus just might not be the only way to lose one's human form, if you would consider the witch's screeching and screaming accompanying her every move. And then suddenly, Severus noticed the witch's left hand slowly forming into a claw, like the talons of a hungry hawk. That was when he realized what she was about to do. Bella always had the habit of making that gesture right before casting the...

"Avada Kedavra!" She bellowed. A green light shot out of Bellatrix's wand.

In the mist of the chaos, no one noticed the source of a white light flew across the room, and blasted right above Sirius Black's head moments before the green light reached the wizard. Surprised by the blast, the marauder ducked his head, just in time to dodge the Killing Curse.

"How dare you!" The angry witch screamed.

"How could you!" Black shouted. "You... cold-blooded witch... you miserable bottom feeder… you are a shame to humanity..."

Severus rolled his eyes as he listened to Black's rant. If the man could just shut up and pay more attention to the dueling at hand!

It was then a bright light shone through the room, proclaiming the arrival of the old Headmaster of Hogwarts. It didn't take long for the Death Eaters to realize the change in the force of their opponents. One by one they retreated through various doorways, with Shacklebolt and Mad-eye following Dumbledore's lead swiftly rounding them up. After sending a Death Eater to the ground with a Full Body-Bind curse, Lupin darted to the side to examine the injured Metamorphmagus.

There was no sign yet of slowing down in the duel between the two descendants of the House of Black. Severus wondered if the wizard even had a chance to ever be able to get through the witch's curses and make an effective hit with his jinx. If he knew this was what Black was all about, Severus thought he really shouldn't have feared the marauder's challenge for a duel when they were both students at Hogwarts.

Sensing the change in the tide the witch became more and more aggressive. Screaming on the top of her lungs she sent out another attack. "Sectumsempra!"

Severus was shocked to hear the familiar curse being uttered by the Death Eater. As the curse made contact with Sirius Black, the wizard's body suddenly stiffened, as if hit by a binding curse. A strange hurdling noise escaped his throat. Staring straight at the witch that shared the same bloodline as he, Sirius Black let out a small and miserable laugh. His wand slipped through his fingers as his knees buckled. And the wizard fell to the ground with a painful thud.

"No! Sirius!" Harry suddenly appeared from nowhere, running straight to his godfather's side. As the young wizard helped the injured wizard turn over, Severus could see blood dripping down the corners of Black's lips, and the red stains seeping through his coat.

Bellatrix laughed maniacally as she ran towards a side door leading to the hall. "Sirius Black is finished! Hahaha! Don't waste your time on a dead man, baby Potter!"

"No!" Harry screamed and ran after the witch.

"No, Harry!" Remus shouted desperately and tried to stop the young wizard from going after Bellatrix Lestrange. However, Harry was like a bull just let out of the gate. Even the werewolf didn't have the strength to hold him back.

Letting out a frustrating cry, Remus took a painful backward glance at Tonks and Sirius, and ran after Harry himself.

Silence suddenly replaced the chaos in the room. Taking a few quick long strides, Severus approached Sirius Black's side. Looking down at the wizard struggling for air, he recognized the wounds inflicted by the curse that he knew so well. How ironic... all those weeks and months when he worked on the curse, he had the image of a defeated Sirius Black before him. And now, nearly twenty years later, the curse finally took down the wizard who was responsible for so many nightmares marring Severus' teenage years. But why? Severus shook his head. He suddenly pitied the wizard before him. Sirius Black didn't understand. He didn't understand why he wasn't good enough to change the world, why he had to hide in his house while watching others fight the war, and why he wasn't the hero who he thought he would become.

Yes, Severus still disliked Sirius Black. He detested him, and even maybe, still hated him. But he saw no reason for the man before him to die.

"I didn't save you from the Killing Curse just so that you can bleed to death." He hissed under his breath, addressing the wizard that was slowly losing consciousness. Getting down to one knee, Severus chanted the healing charm in a quiet and even tone. With every stroke of his wand, he watched the gnashing cut on the wizard's body slow disappear. While the magic erased the cut, it also seemed to lighten something inside of Severus, as if he was losing a burden that he had been carrying for all those years.

Severus finished his healing charms just in time. As the shouting and screaming coming from the Atrium above slowly subsided, he could hear urgent footsteps accompanying the voices of Shacklebolt and Lupin quickly approach the Death Chamber. Severus took a quick side step away from the injured wizard when he noticed the werewolf running towards him.

"Sirius!" Lupin ran to his best friend's side, surprised to find the man was not only alive, but had also magically rid himself of the many deep cuts.

"Good. More Aurors are on the way. We will have them all transferred to St. Mungo's." Shacklebolt stated calmly.

"Not the students." Dumbledore suddenly entered the room and instructed. "We should transfer them back to Hogwarts. There's bound to be chaos now that Voldemort has appeared in front of half of the Ministry. Before the Minister's position is clear, I can't risk having my students exposed to the media."

Watching several Aurors rushing into the room and caring for the injured, Severus finally let out a relieved sigh. Sending another longing gaze at the one particular young witch, he quietly made his way out of the room. He would soon see her at Hogwarts. But before then, before he would instruct Poppy to prepare the potions, he had to take a detour, and fetch something that would be most important to help Hermione recover.

* * *

"Has she woken yet?" A velvet voice asked quietly in the dark.

"Yes, but only briefly." Poppy's answer was merely a whisper. She pushed aside a white screen, revealing a young witch sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed. "I gave her three of the potions that your Patronus mentioned. Those are the only ones I have here. The other seven I don't have in stock."

"I can help you brew them tonight." A wizard in black nodded as he reached into his chest pocket. "Here, put this on for her, and tell her to keep it on for the next ten moon cycles."

The Matron gasped at the shiny object left in her palm by the Potions Master. "Why? Where did you get this?"

"It belonged to my mother. An activated moonstone is a key element for healing injuries caused by dark magic. Activated moonstones are rare. I happen to have this in my possession... Might as well..."

"She will be very grateful for your help, Severus." Poppy smiled at her colleague warmly.

"No." He answered immediately. "There's no need to let her know this is from me. In fact, I would appreciate it if you could keep this a secret. Just tell her you got it from a friend. The ownership of this pendant should not concern her."

The Matron let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. "You, Severus, are a very strange man."

The Potions Master rolled his eye. "I simply cannot stand any more chattering from the insufferable know-it-all. It's for her own good that she doesn't know _everything_."

* * *

She thought her eyes were open, but all she could see was darkness. Hermione tried to raise her head, but she couldn't move a muscle. She could hear Harry and Luna's voice fighting in a seemingly very faraway place, along with the sounds of spells rebounding against walls and furniture, but she couldn't see a thing. It was growing very cold, and the darkness was threatening to suffocate her. As a wave of pain washed through her chest, she had no choice but to give in to the endless darkness...

She felt herself lying on something soft. She could feel the cotton sheets touching her hand. Trying with all her might she opened her heavy lids, but a wave of dizziness forced her to close her eyes right away.

Hermione might have let out a soft moan. She wasn't sure. But that might have explained the gentle arm helping her up.

"Here, my dear girl." It was Madam Pomfrey's soothing voice. "We know what's hurting you. These potions will help the pain. But I only have three. I'm sure Professor Snape will help us get the rest. Drink this... and try to get some sleep."

It wasn't an option for Hermione. Before her head touched the pillow she was out again, back to the darkness, the darkness that was eerily quiet and lonely. She felt as if she was awake, only in an endless nightmare.

A soft glow of white light suddenly broke the curse of the darkness surrounding her. Hermione raised a hand to shield her eyes from the light, surprised to find that she didn't feel any more pain as she moved her arm. She watched in amazement as the blackness around her shattered into a million pieces. Accompanied by a wave of warmth, white light poured in from all four directions into the room where she stood. Looking around, she found walls that were a shade of translucent ivory. There weren't any windows in the walls, nor furniture in the room; yet the emptiness was comforting, in a strange sort of way. Looking down at herself, she noticed she was standing on a white marble floor, dressed in some kind of white gown. The garment was made of a light and soft material, with a silver glow radiating from it. It was certainly not part of the uniform being offered for Hogwarts students.

She looked up into the distance when she heard soft footsteps approaching her. Very slowly, a slim figure emerged from the center of the distant light. Hermione quickly made out the image of a young woman with long wavy black hair. She was wearing the very same elegant white gown as Hermione's. The way she swayed her hips gracefully when she walked, reminded Hermione of the reflection of moonlight dancing in the dark lake.

"Are you... an... angel?" Hermione asked hesitantly. "Am I... dead?"

"Dead?" The woman, who was not only a few feet away from Hermione, stopped in her path and arched a brow. "I sure hope not. For I, certainly, do not possess the power to resurrect a soul." She tilted her head slightly like a curious bird. Observing the young witch carefully she smirked. "Although I could use the compliment."

Hermione frowned at the woman's answer. "So you're not... God?"

"God?" The woman with long black hair seemed to be further amused. "What does your god look like? I have yet to have the privilege to meet that almighty being."

"Oh I'm sorry..." Hermione covered her face with her hands. "Is this a dream? I'm so confused."

"Of course you are." The woman's voice softened. "And this is, indeed, a dream world, created by me, just for you, for my own entertainment. I just have such an urge to meet you in person."

"O…kay..." Hermione's frowned deepened. It was either her earlier injury playing tricks in her head, or the woman was speaking in riddles.

"Hermione... Granger..." The woman took a few steps forward and examined the young witch closely. She called out Hermione's name as if it was written on the girl's face. "How peculiar..."

After another uncomfortable moment, the mysterious woman took a step back, and surprised Hermione with a brief self-introduction. "I am Io. My favorite mistress named me after a moon goddess. It's only appropriate, I suppose. What I don't understand, is why I was sent to help _you_."

"Who? Who's your favorite mistress? Did she send you to help me? How are you going to help me?"

"I don't think those are questions I can answer." The woman named Io replied coolly. "But if you have to know, I pledged my allegiance to the House of Prince centuries ago. For years they left me in a small silver box, forgotten in a quiet corner. I fear that they think my power not worthwhile to serve them." The last few words came out in a hiss.

"I'm very sorry, Io. I'm sure they didn't realize what they were missing." Hermione swallowed, not sure what kind of strange dream she was in. Although this was a lot more comforting than the darkness, dealing with an angry goddess didn't seem like a very appealing alternative.

"That's what I've been telling myself, too." Io dropped her head as she slowly walked away from Hermione. "But then the master sent me to help you. Why... _you_?"

"What... do you mean? Your master... not your mistress?" Hermione's brows furrowed. "And why do you find it odd for your master to send you to help... _me_?"

"Because! Because there is not a single drop of Prince blood in your veins. That's why!" The black-haired woman turned around and answered in annoyance, as if the answer was so obvious that it was a ridiculous idea for Hermione to even ask the question.

Why does it always have to become a topic about bloodlines and ancestry? Hermione rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure if she had the energy for a debate.

"Unless..." Io began to walk around Hermione in circles again. "I see... Very interesting..." A mischievous smile spread across her face.

"What do you see?" Hermione arched her brows. "What's so interesting? What have you figured out?"

"That's none of your concern." Io answered coolly. "But I have found my answers." Ignoring Hermione's protest, the black-haired woman nodded at the young witch gracefully, before disappearing into the light hovering in the distance.

"Wait! Io!" Hermione tried to run after the mysterious woman, but something invisible on the floor caught her ankle. She let out a gasp and caught herself from falling. When she looked back up, she saw day light peeking through a set of white privacy screens, giving her the answer to the question on her mind: she was lying in one of Madame Pomfrey's hospital beds at Hogwarts.

TBC

* * *

_**I let the cat out of the bag... My clever readers, have you found the answers to your questions?**_


	13. Jealousy

_**A/N: Thank you so much for reviewing and following the story! I probably wouldn't be able to come this far if I didn't have your love and support! And yes... I took a major step away from the original story in the last chapter. Things ARE going to be different, although I can't guarantee I'll be able to save everyone's life... We'll just have to see how the events unfold. I hope I will still be able to keep your interest along the way.**_

**_The moonstone pendant is quite significant for this story. I was very happy to be able to find the gem perfectly suited for the story when I was setting up the plot. If you are interested, look up the gemstone meaning for moonstone on the Internet. Basically, I quote, "Moonstone has been worn as an amulet to bring good emotions to the wearer, while protecting those of a sensitive nature... It can reunite lovers who have quarreled. Moonstone is also considered a good luck stone...It is a reflection of the person who owns it. It does not add or detract, only shows how it is... Moonstone is a stone of inner growth and strength."_**

**_As far as Sirius being saved by Severus... it happened for several different reasons for this story. The most important point I was hoping to make, however, was to clearly show that our hero was capable of forgiving. I think being able to forgive is a quality that says a lot about a person. I always had a slight disappointment in the way Severus was portrayed in the books. He was described as someone who couldn't let go of an old grudge. But if it was truly the case, he wouldn't have done many of the things he did, such as contacting Sirius when Harry had the "vision", and maintaining a civil relationship with Remus. Oh well… I could be wrong. As they say, love is blind. =) _**

_**Luna de Papel... I'm so grateful for your magic touch! **_

_**Disclaimer: Not Mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen – Jealousy**

"Hermione! You're up! How are you feeling?" A friendly voice greeted the teenage witch as she pushed aside one of the white dividers next to her bed.

"Hi, Neville." Hermione smiled weakly at the young wizard who was making his way towards her from one of the beds in the opposite side of the room. "What happened? What time is it? How long have I been out?" She asked while looking around them.

Neville pulled over a nearby chair and sat down next to Hermione's bed. Twitching his nose the young wizard answered slowly. "It's almost nine, I think. Well... where do we begin? Uh... we made it out, Hermione. It was pretty bad at the Ministry. For a while I thought I wasn't going to see my grandma again. But... well... Madame Pomfrey fixed Ron, Ginny and Luna last night. She just gave me my last check up and I'm good to go, too."

"Where's Harry? Was he hurt?" Hermione was alarmed to notice the absence of Harry's name in Neville's report.

"Oh no! Harry is fine." Neville frowned. "But -"

"What?" Hermione reached out and held on to Neville's sleeve. "But what? What happened?"

"It's just some stuff I heard from Luna this morning -" Neville answered hesitantly. "I don't really know... Was Sirius Black really Harry's godfather?"

"Yes, and he still is." Hermione frowned. "But why do you ask? What happened to Sirius?"

"Well..." Neville scratched his head and fell silent.

"Mr. Longbottom, are you still here?" They suddenly heard Madam Pomfrey's voice approaching them from the other end of the hospital wing. "I told you you're free to go. Run along. I need to check on Miss Granger. Before I know her condition is stabilized, I don't want her engage in any discussions about the events from yesterday."

"Er... I'm sorry Madam Pomfrey." Neville got up from the chair immediately, although he looked as if he was quite relieved to be told to leave.

"Wait, Neville." Hermione tried to stop her fellow member of Dumbledore's Army. "What were you saying?"

"I'll come see you later okay, Hermione? Feel better soon!" The young wizard hurried away towards the door without answering Hermione's question.

"What am I going to do with these teenagers..." Madam Pomfrey shook her head as she watched the young Gryffindor running out of the hospital wing. "They never listen! How are you feeling today, my dear?" The Matron's voice softened while she pushed aside two other screens further away from Hermione's bed. "Here, now you can look outside the windows. Let's put a few more pillows here so you can sit back more comfortably..."

"But what was Neville talking about?" Hermione couldn't let go of her questions while the older witch fussed around her. "What happened to Sirius?"

"Don't listen to rumor and gossip, especially not when you're still recovering. Lean back. Let me check on you."

The Matron had a way of making stern orders in the kindest way. Hermione had no choice but to shut up and let the healer cast a numerous diagnostic charms. Following the older witch's wand, Hermione glanced down, and quickly noticed a familiar piece of jewelry dangling down her neck.

"What's this?" She let out a gasp, pulling on the moonstone pendant that she knew she wasn't wearing the day before.

"Oh relax, my dear." Madam Pomfrey answered casually. "You seem much better this morning. I think we have Professor Snape's complicated potions to thank. And this is an activated moonstone. You need to keep it on for ten moon cycles."

"Activated moonstone..." Hermione's brows furrowed. She had never heard of such a thing before. "Where is it from? What does it do? How is a moonstone activated?"

"It's very old magic indeed." Madam Pomfrey laid out several glass vials on a silver tray next to Hermione's bed. "Moonstone is known to bring protections to the wearer. But according to advanced magical study, a moonstone's true power can only be released when a spirit is attached to it. That's when the moonstone is activated. An activated moonstone is one of the most effective antidotes to cure internal injuries caused by dark magic. It is, however, no longer a common practice to produce activated moonstones these days. We are fortunate to have found this for you. The power of the moonstone is most noticeable during a full moon. And I was told you should wear it for at least ten moon cycles."

"You were told..." Hermione's frowned deepened. "By the owner of the pendant? Where did you get this, Madam Pomfrey?"

Blinking at the young witch for a few times the healer quickly turned her attention back to the glass vials. "A friend... A friend loaned it to me, and told me you need to wear it for at least ten moon cycles."

"Who's your friend?" Hermione pressed on.

Pressing her lips tight together the Matron observed the girl before her quietly for a long moment. "My friend prefers to stay anonymous at this time. And for goodness sake please stop asking me any more questions about this. Here, you need to finish all of these vials. I'm afraid you'll need to take several potions for a few more weeks. Would you like me to notify your parents? I really wouldn't have asked if Minerva was here. I'd have made her go fetch your parents in a heartbeat. But for whatever strange reasons, the Headmaster seems to think _you_ should be the one making the decision. I just don't get it. You're not of age until September. Why does he think..."

"Professor Dumbledore is right." Hermione interrupted the healer with a sigh. "I really don't want to worry my parents. I'd prefer not to share with them about my" she faltered slightly, "adventure," another pause, "and injury... At least not now."

"But the term is over next week! I can't let you run off the train by yourself and not let your parents know about your condition!" Madam Pomfrey was visibly concerned by her patient's unwillingness to contact her guardians.

"Let me think of a way then..." Hermione dropped her head. "At least let me think about how to tell them."

"That's fine. You think about it." Madame Pomfrey handed Hermione the potion vials and watched the girl finish them one by one. "You got the worst injury among your friends. If you ask me, I'd say it was a miracle that the others weren't hurt as seriously as you were. So... lucky for you, bed rest is required for a few days, my dear. Just let the house-elves know what you want to eat and they will bring it to you."

"Can I get some books to read?" Hermione asked as the Matron collected the empty vials back to her silver tray.

"No, not today." The older witch answered sternly. "No reading for at least today and tomorrow. I'd much rather you close your eyes and rest than read at the moment."

Hermione let out a deep sigh as her healer walked away from her. "Madam Pomfrey," she called after the healer in her most innocent voice. "Did he tell you how he'd like me to return the necklace after ten moon cycles?"

"He didn't... say..." The Matron was caught off guard and let her answer slip. Looking back at the young witch, she noticed a mischievous smile spread across Hermione's face. Shaking her head crossly the healer quickly walked away, mumbling something about "tricky teenagers" all the way to her office.

Hermione chuckled softly as she watched Madam Pomfrey disappear behind her office door. She was glad she was not only able to verify the gender of the owner of the necklace, but also confirmed that she didn't have a strange dream, but rather, had the pleasure meeting the spirit that was attached to the gem.

"Io." Tracing the moonstone gently with her fingers, Hermione murmured, "now I just need to look for your master and thank him in person. He must be missing you in this other world, where I kept you with me for all those years. He probably won't understand my stories. But at least I can tell Mr. Prince how much I appreciate his generous help." Carefully she turned the pendant around, looking for the familiar carving that she remembered so well. Curiously however, the back of the pendant was only a smooth piece of silver. Frowning in confusion, Hermione felt a wave of dizziness rush through her head. Thinking that she probably shouldn't strain her neck, the young witch decided she'd have to investigate the ownership of the necklace some other day.

* * *

Time seemed frozen as Hermione sat idly in the hospital wing. She couldn't imagine how she would spend the next forty-eight hours without anything to read. Feeling desperately bored, Hermione scanned the empty room, but sighed in disappointment when she realized Madam Pomfrey had practically hidden all possible reading materials away from her. How she wished she could find something to stimulate her mind!

Her prayer was answered from the sky. The sound of a pair of flapping wings brought Hermione's attention to the large windows at the end of the grand hall. A gray barn owl glided through a half-open windowpane, sailed across the room with a "whoosh", and dropped a roll of newspaper right in the young witch's lap.

"You're such a life saver!" Hermione whispered happily to the bird, and watched the loyal messenger swiftly disappeared through the same route. Sending a quick glance towards Madam Pomfrey's office, Hermione noticed the Matron was nowhere to be found. Sticking her tongue out Hermione made a face, before quietly unrolling the Daily Prophet.

The front page news offered the summary of the events in great detail from the previous night at the Ministry. Hermione read about the return of "You-Know-Who" and the arrest of several Death Eaters, including a member of Hogwarts' Board of Governors, Lucius Malfroy. She was quite surprised when she noticed no mention of the students involved in the battle.

As she turned the page, a large photo of Sirius came into view. The young witch let out a gasp as she read the title: "Proven innocent, wizard died in battle."

With tears blurring her vision, Hermione hurried through the article between quiet sobs. By the time she finished reading the report on the wizard's defeat in a duel with Bellatrix Lestrange, she was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. Sirius had been a friend to her since she first met the wizard in her third year at Hogwarts. Although he might be too eager to fight in the war, and sometimes acted a bit immature, he had hardly committed a fault big enough to cost him his life. And then she thought of Harry, her best friend who had just lost his godfather. Sirius loved Harry like his own child. He was the last family Harry could count on... Burying her face in her hands, Hermione couldn't stop her gushing tears.

"Hey... What's wrong?" A gentle voice reached her ears as she felt someone sit down next to her on the bed, and held her by her shoulders.

Looking up from her hands she saw Harry looking at her with great concern.

"Oh, Harry!" She pulled her best friend into her arms. "I'm so so sorry... so sorry... about ... Sirius..." She choked on her words.

"Shhh..." She heard Harry whispered in her ears. "It's okay, Hermione. It's okay."

"How... can it be... okay?" She pulled away from the young wizard and frowned. "This is horrible... how can it -" She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed a smirk in her friend's face. "Are you all right, Harry?" She held her friend's face and searched for his eyes. "You didn't... lose your mind, did you?"

"No, Hermione, not at all!" Harry's smile widened as he handed Hermione a handkerchief. Setting the newspaper to the night stand, the wizard moved a little bit closer to the witch. After looking around briefly to make sure no one was there, Harry began to explain in a low voice. "Sirius is fine! He was injured, but is recovering!" He could hardly contain the excitement in his voice. "It's all part of Professor Dumbledore's plan. Bellatrix's curse hit Sirius, and she thought she killed him. But something magical happened when no one, well no one conscious at least, was in that room. Somehow all his wounds were healed by the time Remus and Kingsley got back from the Atrium. Dumbledore said it would be a great opportunity for Sirius to assume a different identity to avoid the media, and help the Order under-cover through other arrangements. The decision was made rather quickly, and only a few Order members close to Dumbledore know about this. I'm only allowed to share the news with you and Ron. Well, I guess there would be no way to hide it from the Weasley children anyway, because Mrs. Weasley is now taking care of Sirius at his house!"

"What?" Hermione broke into a teary smile as she slowly processed the news in her head. "Sirius is okay? Oh thank goodness... I was so sad..."

"Yes, he is doing fine." Harry nodded. "I was so upset when I thought I lost him. I wish I knew what or who saved him... Oh, I almost forgot the reason why I'm here this morning. I want to make sure you're okay before I take off."

"Where are you going?" Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.

"Professor Dumbledore let me leave early to help Mrs. Weasley take care of Sirius for a couple weeks. Remus and Mad-Eye are picking me up in a little bit. I get to stay with Sirius for a while before going back to the Dursleys." The young wizard shrugged with a slight disappointment. "I actually wish I didn't have to go back to the Dursleys ever again. But at least I don't have to spend that much time there this summer."

"Oh, maybe I can join you at Sirius' place!" Hermione suddenly found the perfect way to hide her injury from her parents. "I don't want my mum and dad to worry about me. Maybe I should just tell them I'll spend a few weeks with you and Ron at Number 12, Grimmauld Place when school is out. That way I'll be all recovered by the time I see them later in the summer."

"That's brilliant!" The grin in Harry's face broadened. "I can help taking care of you too! And we can all stay together at Sirius'!"

"I'll be fine in no time Harry." Hermione smiled her friend warmly, "I don't think I'll need you take care of me."

Regarding the young witch for a long moment, Harry pulled Hermione into a tight embrace without a word of warning. Hiding his face from the very surprised witch, the wizard sniffled softly. With his face hidden from her, he said to her quietly, "I was so scared Hermione... I thought I lost you. It's all my fault! I almost got you killed."

Patting Harry's back gently Hermione closed her eyes and returned the hug to the wizard whom she had considered her younger brother all those years. "It's okay Harry. We'll get through this together."

By the shaking of the young wizard's shoulders Hermione could tell Harry was crying. So she kept him in her arms with her eyes closed, waiting for the young man to regain his composure.

"What is this!? I'm not aware of a stage performance of Romeo and Juliet being arranged in the middle of the hospital wing!" A hiss suddenly broke the silence in the room, making Harry and Hermione jump in surprise.

Quickly the young wizard pushed himself away from Hermione and dried his tears with the back of his hand. With a frustrated sigh he turned around to face the owner of the voice.

"What are you doing here?" The Potions Master asked Harry coldly.

"I came to visit Hermione." Harry answered the wizard in black in a strained voice. "Am I not allowed to visit my friend?"

With his lips pressed tight into a thin line, Severus glared at the young wizard before him, furious. "Your _friend_," he snarled, "happens to be recovering from a serious injury. She is in no condition to engage in such _inappropriate_ activities."

"No! We didn't -" Blood rushed to Harry's face and the young wizard immediately began to protest.

"Then explain to me what you are doing sitting in her BED!" The Potions Master barked.

"I... we..." Harry was so angry he was having a hard time finding a retort.

"Harry was just comforting me from some rumors I read in the paper." Hermione tried to reason with Severus. "We didn't -"

"Enough!" The Potions Master obviously didn't have any patience on this day. Narrowing his eyes at the young wizard, Severus hissed dangerously. "All of this could have been avoided if the young celebrity hadn't tried to impress a girl with his foolish bravery."

"I didn't -" Harry raised his voice.

"Yes, you probably didn't realize that you lack the ability to keep her safe." Severus cut Harry off coldly. "So tell me, Mr. Potter. Are you satisfied now with the outcome of your adventure?"

"You..." Harry jumped to his feet, with his hands clenched into tight fists. How he hated the man before him!

"Harry..." Hermione pulled on the young wizard's sleeve quietly from behind. "Don't -"

"It appears your _friend_ is returning her affection by stopping you from making more stupid mistakes that you may regret later." The Potions Master sneered. "May I suggest you take extra care to avoid rushing into a life or death situation without consulting with a responsible adult _next time_? Now, before I change my mind, get out of here, Potter! Or would you rather lose your house fifty points for disobeying your professor's order?"

Drawing in a sharp inhale the young wizard looked away from his Potions Master. But the blue veins pulsing in his neck exposed the anger he was trying hard to control.

"It's okay, Harry. Go ahead. I'll see you later." Hermione whispered to her friend.

"Right," Severus interjected darkly. "Don't you have a _dog_ to tend to?"

Hermione had to pull onto Harry's arm hard to stop the young wizard from throwing a punch at Severus. Letting out an angry grunt, Harry stormed pass the Potions Master, before running out of the hospital wing.

Watching her best friend disappear into the corridor Hermione glared at Severus angrily. "Do you always have to be so mean to him?"

"I was only stating the facts." Severus declared coolly. "It's exhausting to watch him trying to get himself killed."

"You and I both know you don't want him dead." She shook her head. "You are not helping him if all you do is bark at him."

"It's a challenge to deal with foolish bravery," he countered.

"Why are you so unreasonable with him?" She was clearly frustrated.

"_I_ am the one being unreasonable? Not the one who put so many people's lives at risk just because he had a 'vision'? Why are you always so protective of that arrogant Potter brat anyway?" He growled. "I thought you would've been able to see that reckless side of him by now."

"You don't know Harry." She sighed. "He's not arrogant or reckless like you think."

"Of course I know him." The Potions Master's jaw stiffened. "He is just like his father: irresponsible, arrogant, and impetuous."

"But he's also his mother's son!" Hermione raised her voice in protest, but quickly regretted how her reference was affecting Severus.

As if shocked by her words, the wizard stared at her intensely. When he found his voice again his tone was even darker. "Oh believe me... I've tried very hard to look for her intelligence in him... all these years! Unfortunately, there really isn't much of her in him. It's only James Potter, all over again!"

"You -" Hermione pushed herself up in her bed, trying to argue her point, but suddenly felt a wave of pain flooding her chest. With a small groan escaping through her lips, she slouched backwards and sank into the pile of pillows.

With her eyes closed she could hear him hurried to her side. She let out a gasp when she felt his hand gently touching her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and quickly found his concerned gaze pouring down on her.

"Did you take the potions this morning?" His voice lost its edge.

"Yes." She answered weakly. "Madam Pomfrey gave me a tray full of colorful vials. I guess I should've taken her advice and rest."

Waving his wand methodically Severus cast a few diagnostic charms on Hermione. He observed the results quietly, a serious expression in his face. When everything seemed satisfactory to him, he let out a sigh and dropped his head. A long pause later, he swallowed hard and began with a low growl. "I suppose I owe you an apology for interrupting that little tender moment between you and your boyfriend."

"No!" Hermione's eyes widened at Severus' words. "Harry is not my boyfriend. He's only... a good friend." Her voice trailed off as she picked up something strange in the wizard's tone. Narrowing her eyes she looked at the man searchingly. "Wait a minute, Severus..." she whispered, "are you... jealous?"

He took a step back as if startled by her question. "Don't be daft," he spat.

"Are you?" She pressed on further with a small smile hanging in the corner of her lips. "Please don't be, because you have no reason to. So tell me... were you so harsh to Harry because you were jealous?"

He glared at her for a long moment before arching his brows. "I have no obligation to answer ridiculous questions from a student who is clearly delirious from her injury." He stated coolly. "Nevertheless, it appears the potions are working properly. I will be visiting you later today and reassess the progress of your recovery."

Before Hermione could process the wizard's words, Severus turned around and began to make his way towards the door leading to the corridors.

"Does that mean you won't be avoiding me any more?" She called after him. "Does it mean I can come talk to you outside of class?"

He halted his footsteps and slowly turned to face her. Blinking at her a few times he answered impassively, "my office hours for the insufferable know-it-all have been extended to eight o'clock at night, unless under unusual circumstances concerning another murder plot against the unbearable Boy-Who-Lived, in which case I'd expect a report immediately."

She chuckled softly at his answer while he returned her friendly response with a blank stare. Without another word, the Potions Master quickly walked out of the hospital wing, with his black robe billowing behind him.

TBC


	14. Much Needed Distractions

**_A/N1: Is it looking like a romance now (finally)? Well, unfortunately, we're not quite there yet. Here is the calm before the storm..._**

**_A/N2: Murzim - the second brightest star to Sirius in Canis Majoris constellation, aka "the Herald", as the herald who delivers the news and announces the appearance of Sirius. In Chinese, Murzim is recognized as 軍市, meaning Market for Soldiers._**

**_Luna de Papel... Thanks for the gentle push. I'm on it now! =)_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen – Much Needed Distractions**

"Thanks, Ron." Sirius took the potion handed to him by the red-headed wizard. He didn't drink it however, only set the crystal vial aside on a small table by the fireplace. "You said you were going to try to remember. And that was three days ago. So... can you remember now? Can you remember hearing anyone following you when you were in the Department of Mysteries?" He asked the young wizard wearily.

"Er... not really, other than the Death Eaters running after us, of course." Ron scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry Sirius, but I was quite confused for most part of that night..."

"What about you?" The wizard's attention turned to Harry, who was just walking into the room. "What else did you see in the room where Hermione was injured? Are you sure you didn't hear any footsteps?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Sirius." Harry sighed, before sitting down in the sofa across from Sirius. "Just like I've told you, for the hundredth time, we didn't see or hear anyone. Neville says that the green light I saw was probably some sort of security device in the Time Chamber."

"Security devices don't single out a Death Eater to kill, Harry." Sirius sank into the sofa next to the fireplace, brows furrowed. "If there was truly a security device in the chamber, all of you should have been hit, not just Antonin Dolohov."

"What are you saying, then?" Harry's eyes widened.

"I'm saying I don't think you were alone in that office," Sirius stated plainly.

"What makes you say that?" Harry sat up and moved to the edge of the sofa. "If someone was there to help us, why didn't he or she tell us? Do you have any idea who that might be?"

Sirius inhaled sharply, his frown deepening. "I'll be damned if I'm right about who I heard."

"Who did it sound like? Do you suspect anyone in particular? Do you think the same person who saved you also killed Dolohov? Do you want to talk about it?" Harry ventured out with the questions after the marauder offered no further elaboration.

"No, no, and no." Sirius answered impatiently. Without another word, he slowly closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

Sensing the slight awkwardness in the room, Ron gave Harry a shrug. "I'll go see if mum needs anything else done in the kitchen," he murmured to his friend and tiptoed his way out of the study.

When Sirius opened his eyes again he leaned forward towards Harry and instructed, "what is mine is also yours, Harry. When I'm gone, you can come live here whenever you want."

"But I can't just come live here whenever I want, Sirius." Harry looked down at his hands. "You heard Dumbledore. I still have to go back to the Dursleys'."

"But not for long." The older wizard gave his godson a small but encouraging smile. "You'll be of age next year. That means after next summer you can move here whenever you please. I've already made Kreacher swear to treat you as his master. He's a bit nasty, but he can still be useful. And he'll be here when you need him. Just don't let him out of the house again."

"What about you?" Harry looked up at Sirius with great concern. "Why do you make it sound like you won't be here? I thought you'll only be away on a mission."

"Some mission indeed." The wizard let out a grunt and sank back into the sofa. "That bloody Dumbledore just wants me out of sight, I'm sure. Forming a coalition with the foreign wizards all across Europe and North America...? Do you know how long that's going to take me?"

"Remus thinks it's a brilliant idea." Harry replied thoughtfully. "He said staying here would only make you a target for the media people, like Rita Skeeter, and the power-hungry politicians at the Ministry. And that would only expose you and everyone close to you to the Death Eaters seeking revenge. He told me you're always good at making welcoming impressions at social events and establishing quick connections. Didn't you make lots of new friends on that tropical island when you were on the run with Buckbeak? That didn't take you long. Maybe Dumbledore is just planning ahead, trying to find us a network of allies to back us up before we dive deep into the war. And besides, how do you know the war wouldn't be over by the time I'm free to leave the Dursleys?"

"If it's like the last time," Sirius shook his head, "I'm afraid it's not going to be over very soon. And you know I'd rather fight with everyone here than go tour around some foreign countries."

"Remus said the mission is to put your charm into best use," Harry tried to cheer up his godfather.

"Remus..." Sirius let out a small laugh. "He's the one to talk! That lad had better start paying attention to Mr. Prince Charming in the mirror next time he shaves. Mark my words, Harry: he can't run away from it much longer. Tonks is going to get him sooner or later. I've noticed the way they look at each other. I can see it in her eyes..."

"What can you see in whose eyes?" Remus entered the study before Sirius could finish his sentence.

"Look who's here!" Sirius' face lit up as he saw his best friend. "I thought you were downstairs with the Order, planning my funeral. Am I going to be forgotten like a speck of dust in the chaos of the war?"

"Sirius Black will be remembered as a brave wizard who fought evil until his last breath. His life is going to be celebrated at a small funeral this weekend." Remus smiled warmly at the wizard seated by the fireplace. "You, Mr. Murzim White, will soon be making a great difference in the British wizarding history by expanding the Order's allies beyond the British borders."

"Stop glorifying Dumbledore's sneaky plans, Moony." Sirius huffed impassively. "Say, is the meeting over? Is everyone gone?"

"Just about." Remus answered absentmindedly as he browsed through the collection of wizard magazines in the Blacks' family study. "Tonks had Severus cornered. No matter how many times I told her she was brewing the Wolfspane potions perfectly, she kept thinking she did something wrong because it smelled awful. She knew I'd just tell Severus not to worry about it. So she pushed me out of the room as soon as Dumbledore left the meeting."

"Snape is still downstairs?" Sirius suddenly sat up in the sofa. "Can you get him here for me?"

"You want to see Severus?" Remus smiled at his friend, bemused. "Did the sun just rise from the west? Are you sure, Padfoot? I really don't think you are well enough to get into a duel right now. And besides," the werewolf shrugged, "I honestly don't think he's interested in visiting with you. You have to agree that brief exchange between the two of you the day after your injury didn't go so well."

"Go fetch him for me, mate. Please." Sirius ignored Remus' advice. "Don't tell him it's me who wants to talk to him. Just say someone needs a question answered."

After a moment of hesitation, Remus made his way out of the study. But he came back into the room before going very far. "You're not planning on killing him when he's here, are you?" He frowned at his fellow marauder. "And I'm only half joking, mate. I don't want to have to break up a fight."

"Just hurry up and go," Sirius growled. "Don't let that git slip away again."

Watching Remus disappear through the doorway, Harry turned around and studied his godfather's face in surprise. "Are you sure you want to see Snape? What do you want to talk to him about?"

"Some grown-up business." Sirius grunted, before looking up at Harry and said, "now that I think of it, can you go ask Molly and see if she'd seen my blue traveling cloak? I was thinking about packing it for the trip but can't find it. Do me a favor Harry; go ask her for me, would you?"

"Okay..." Harry got up slowly from the sofa and made his way out of the room with great ambivalence. By the time he reached the door, Remus just came up from downstairs, with the wizard in black trailing behind. Exchanging a concerned look with Remus, Harry ran past the Potions Master without a word.

As Harry dashed down the steps, he heard Snape's voice coldly asking. "Is this a trap, Lupin?! I knew I shouldn't have trusted a werewolf..."

The door leading to the study closed before Harry could hear another word of the adults' conversation.

* * *

Since her arrival at Number 12, Grimmauld Place a week ago, this was going to be the first day Hermione would have a chance to see Severus again.

The wizard had visited the teenage witch every day when she spent the last week and a half of the school year under the care of Madam Pomfrey. Besides bringing Hermione the necessary potions and checking on the progress of her recovery, Severus had also stayed to talk to her.

After the day following the witch's adventure at the Department of Mysteries, neither one of them brought up their argument again. However, there seemed to be subtle changes in the way they interacted with each other. Was it because she was right when she called on him for his jealousy? Hermione wasn't sure. But she felt as if she had finally found the Severus she used to know in a different world. The coldness in the wizard's tone disappeared when he returned on the following day. Hermione almost couldn't believe her eyes, but he actually returned her greeting with a small smile.

The topics of their conversations were often random, from the healing properties of the potions the wizard brewed for Hermione's recovery, to the strange displays of experiments the young witch witnessed at the Department of Mysteries. Having discussions about abstract magical theories indulged their intellectual minds, offered them a much needed escape, and allowed them to be temporarily removed from the depressing events unfolding outside of Hogwarts. Neither one of them had admitted it, but they both knew their friendly academic debates had quickly become the one event that they both looked forward to everyday.

She choked on her "good-bye" when he was about to leave the hospital wing on the last day of school. He didn't ask her why she was upset, but stopped in his path and returned to the chair next to her bed, as if trying to comfort her by extending their time together a little longer.

"When can I see you again?" She asked him sadly. When he didn't answer she asked, "can I owl you over the summer?"

"No." He answered immediately. Realizing how rude his answer must have sounded, he hurried up and added, "I don't know what to expect for the summer, especially now that the Dark Lord has been recruiting new followers." Looking up at her soft brown eyes he sighed. "I could be called to attend his gatherings or be in the presence of other Death Eaters, which makes any communications via owl or Patronus unwise."

Nodding slowly she brush away a stray tear running down her cheek. "I'm going to spend a few weeks at Number 12, Grimmauld Place before returning home to my parents. Will you still be going to the Order meetings then? "

"Most likely, yes." He replied quietly. After a long pause he said. "Perhaps I'll see you then."

He seemed a little uneasy when she sat up and reached forward, offering an obvious hug. He hesitated slightly while glancing around the empty room, before getting up from his seat and pulling her into his arms.

She closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath of his scent, the familiar sandalwood and mint that she remembered so well. Their embrace was gentle and brief, like two distanced friends rekindling a bond after being separated for a long time. She wished she could stay in his arms a little longer; but he didn't grant her that wish. Her cheeks were burning when he pulled away from her. He didn't say another word before quickly turning away, but she did catch sight of a small smile reaching the corners of his eyes.

It was a long week for Hermione to wait at the Order's safe house. Mrs. Weasley had forbidden her to join Harry, Ron and Ginny as they worked on any chores. The recovering young witch was allowed, however, to browse the Black's private book collection freely. Reading only offered her limited distraction. Hermione counted the minutes until the Order members would congregate again, and found it almost unbearable to wait through the six long days.

She obviously didn't expect the particular Order's meeting to be this short; otherwise she would have been waiting for Severus at the library across the hall from the meeting room. Knowing Severus wouldn't feel comfortable being seen waiting for her, and would very much likely be inclined to leave to avoid any others' questioning glances, Hermione ran down the stairs as fast as she could.

Hurrying past several rooms with tightly-shut doors, Hermione arrived at a very quiet landing. When she stopped by the kitchen she saw Mrs. Weasley politely declining Tonks' offer to help with the cooking. "You're still recovering from your injury, Tonks. Remus and Sirius wouldn't be happy if they knew I let you work in the kitchen."

"Wotcher, Hermione. Feeling better?" The pink-hair witch spotted Hermione as soon as she walked in the kitchen.

"Hi, Tonks. Much better. Thanks for asking." Hermione returned the greeting pleasantly, trying to hide her disappointment. "Where did everybody go?"

"Ginny and her dad went to visit the new store that Fred and George are thinking about buying. I just sent Harry and Ron upstairs to look in the attic." Mrs. Weasley answered as she charmed a peeling knife to start working on a pile of potatoes. "Sirius is looking for his traveling cloak. How am I supposed to know where it is! Who does he think I am? His mother...?"

"What about the other Order members?" Hermione was feeling impatient with Molly's complaint.

"Most of them left. Remus is upstairs with Sirius," Tonks chimed in. "And Severus..."

She didn't get to finish her answer before a loud bang from upstairs startled everyone in the kitchen. Apparently the door leading to the study was flung open so hard it slammed into the wall, shaking several painting hanging along the staircase.

"Come back here, Snape!" They heard Sirius booming. "Answer my question! I'm not done with you!"

The three women hurried their way out of the kitchen, just in time to see the wizard in black walking down the stairs in swift steps.

"Severu... Professor Snape!" A relieved smile spread across Hermione's face.

"What's going on up there?" Molly asked, frowning towards the origin of the noise.

"The dog has gone mad. And the werewolf is trying to rein him in before he starts biting." The wizard answered impassively.

Hermione giggled at the wizard's words, only brought herself a critical glare from Mrs. Weasley. The pink-haired Metamorphmagus sent Hermione a curious glance, before quietly making her way up the stairs.

"When you get up there," Severus addressed Tonks coolly, "do tell Black to keep his nose out of other people's business."

"Uh... Professor Snape. Do you have a moment?" Hermione took an uneasy glance over her shoulder at Mrs. Weasley. "I have a few questions from my research. I was wondering if you could point me to the right direction..."

Severus arched a brow at the young witch, but quickly turned his attention to the older witch, who seemed utterly surprised by Hermione's words.

"My dear girl! Was that what you've been doing in Sirius' library every day? Researching?" Molly regarded the young witch with a small smile. "I thought summer is when you stay away from books! I tried sending Ron to check on you a few times. But he always wriggled out of it and ran back to his room with Harry instead."

"One usually learns when he goes to a room full of books." Severus glared at the older witch. "It's quite obvious why your son has such limited interest in visiting a place where he'd have nothing else to do but read."

Clearly offended, Molly let out a huff before making her way back towards the kitchen. "Don't ask too many questions, Hermione." She said without turning to face the young witch. "Wasting time talking to a grumpy wizard is most certainly not good for your health!"

Chuckling quietly at the older witch's words Hermione turned to face Severus, and found a small smile dancing in his dark eyes.

"You are absolutely horrid." She shook her head disapprovingly, but couldn't hide the smirk on her face. "I don't think that comment can keep her off my back for very long though. She's probably going to come back in five minutes to check on us."

"Then we'll have five minutes." He pointed out.

Nodding quietly Hermione suddenly felt the room getting a bit too warm. "So... How have you been?" She finally found her voice.

"Still alive." He answered thoughtfully. "What about you? Have you been taking your potions every morning?"

"Yes, I have." She could feel her cheeks heating up. "Now that I think of it, I haven't thanked you for brewing the extra batches of potions for me for the summer. Madam Pomfrey said getting all of it ready was a demanding task."

"Don't mention it," he replied quietly.

"Hermione! I need your help!" Molly's voice reached them from the end of the Hall. "I need someone to tell me if the curry is too spicy."

"That's nowhere near five minutes." He hissed.

Hermione let out a soft sigh and reached into her pocket, before pulling out a couple sheets of parchment that had been neatly folded in half.

"Are you coming?" Molly emerged from the kitchen.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione answered without looking back. "I just want to give Professor Snape a list of my questions."

Severus took the parchment from Hermione; his eyes never left the young witch. When he was about to unfold the paper however, Hermione stopped him.

"Um... Professor. I have to apologize ahead of time for running into so many questions." Hermione raised her voice, clearly trying to make her heard by the older witch observing them in a distance. "You don't have to help me with them now. I'd appreciate it if you could take a look at the list whenever you get a chance."

Severus arched his brows at the young witch and nodded knowingly. "I'll see what I can do." He answered in a voice that was equally loud so that Molly could hear his every word. "It's good to know the little know-it-all is finally admitting the limit of her ability."

Closing the door quietly behind the wizard Hermione took in a few deep breaths, desperately hoping her blush would go away by the time she reached the kitchen.

* * *

It wasn't until late in the evening when Severus finally returned to Spinner's End, where he had moved back for the summer a few days ago. He had attended a lengthy gathering summoned by the Dark Lord after he left Number12, Grimmauld Place. For the following hours he could feel the parchment she gave him in his chest pocket, close to his heart.

After setting up multiple wards on his door and windows, he pulled out her letter and sat down by his desk. He raised his brows in surprise when a blank page came into view as he unfolded the parchment she had handed him earlier that day, but quickly recognized the precautionary measures she had taken. Pointing his wand at the parchment he whispered, "_Aparecium_." He felt his heart skip a beat when her neat, elegant handwriting was summoned by his spell.

_"Dear Severus,_

_It's only been a few days since we said good-bye, but I surely hope I'll be able to see you soon. I've never thought I'd enjoy staying at the Hospital Wing, but in the past few days I would do anything to go back there, just so that we can continue our debates on the magical explanations for muggle medicine. I had thought we'd be able to talk once I come to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. However, based on the way how Molly constantly hovers over me, I doubt we'll have that option._

_I know I won't be able to owl you. But at least I hope I will have the opportunity to give this letter to you._

_I want you to know that I really enjoyed our conversations in the past week and a half. Our discussions reminded me of your daily visits to my store in Northern California. In that other world, you told me that you spent years traveling the world. But you never told me much about the places that you had visited. Do you have a list of destinations you'd like to visit some day? Where would you like to go first? _

_I've only been to France and Germany with my parents. They've been talking about Australia for quite a while, which makes me think they'll likely want to spend the next family vacation there. But if it's up to me, I would go visit America, and visit the wizarding communities over there, in the "new world". _

_I've been going through the collections of books in Sirius' library. They are quite informative! It's a shame that no one but me in the house is interested in reading them. After spending days reading though, I have begun to wonder if I should start considering a subject to focus on after Hogwarts. I know I'm a bit ahead of myself - there are still two more years before I graduate. But both you and I know I'm not really sixteen (almost seventeen that is). And a thirty-year-old certainly would not want to waste her chance when she got the extra years on her hands!"_

Severus bit the inside of his cheeks to hold back a chuckle. He could almost see a determined Hermione Granger holding a list of options and asking Minerva for career advice. She must have already done quite a bit of research on various alternatives to continue her education after Hogwarts. Severus was sure of that. It wouldn't be her if she didn't have everything planned out.

He couldn't help but smile as he moved on to the second page. He was right: the young witch had listed all the pros and cons she could think of between obtaining an apprenticeship in the UK and attending a foreign university for a career in potions. She was asking him for input, and sounded eager to know what he thought would be a good career path.

He put the letter down and let out a sigh. It felt as if he just finished a nice long conversation with the young witch. What struck him the most however, was the lack of mention of the war in her words. She sounded so excited about the future, a future that he didn't dare to imagine for too long. He knew she wasn't naive enough to forget the imminent danger brought along by the rise of the Dark Lord, otherwise she wouldn't have written the letter in invisible ink. Reading between the lines, he could tell she was trying to distract him. She wanted him to see the light at the end of the tunnel, a tunnel that he had always considered to be connected to hell.

A small frown slowly crawled up between his brows as he considered her words. Taking in a deep breath he picked up his quill, and decided to play along. She had made it easy for him: easy for him to answer her letter, and easy for him think about the future again.

TBC


	15. Tired of Pretending

**_A/N: Many of you have suspected that Sirius knows the truth about who saved his life. Why would this suspicion / knowledge bring him so much angst? Well, we'll let Severus explain it, shall we? =)_**

**_Luna de Papel... Your speed is absolutely astounding!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen – Tired of Pretending**

_"Dear Hermione,_

_I'm not surprised to see you planning ahead for your career, although I am slightly intrigued by your choice in potions. You probably haven't heard it from me (and I certainly do not intend to repeat this in front of a classroom full of dunderheads), but your abilities on this subject matter is clearly evident. I wonder, however, if this is a career path best suited for you._

_Potion brewing is an extremely time-consuming process and it very much eliminates a wide range of social life, which was one of the primary reasons why a career in this field attracted me so much. Although, if I knew I'd be stuck teaching dunderheads (by becoming an insufferable know-it-all, you have excluded yourself from being considered a member of such group) all these years, I probably should have signed up to tame hippogriffs. I am not, and probably never will be, a people person. You, Hermione, are not like me. You seem to enjoy the company of your peers, inside and outside of school. Why you don't find their pitifully inferior intelligence frustrating is beyond me. It is probably one of the many things that I'll never understand about you. _

_You have the intellectual capability and personality to make a difference in our world. Why tie yourself to a cauldron and a room full of glass vials? For an exciting and fulfilling career, may I suggest that you consider furthering your education in the area that requires significant amount of logical analysis and clever diplomacy? Yes, clever diplomacy. It's a quality I've noticed in you ever since you made your trip to this "other world." It's a quality not hard to miss while considering how you always manage to win your arguments in countless debates without having to insult or offend your rivals. Nevertheless, I don't think it is all that farfetched for you to pursuit a career in law. If our world has a future that is anywhere near what you've described to me, I wouldn't mind seeing someone like you helping it develop a set of reasonable policies and a fair legal system. _

_You mentioned my traveling in this other world where you resided. To be honest, it is a mystery to me, for I have no interest whatsoever in visiting anywhere outside of this country. I'd much rather prefer a good book and a glass of fine firewhiskey on a free day. What do you see when you travel around the globe? Other than the supposedly impressive sceneries that fail to excite me in the first place, there will be endless people - people speaking different languages and accustomed to different cultures. Dealing with people, may I emphasize, is not my strong suit. If I can hardly tolerate the people from my own culture, what makes you think I can stand the others?_

_I must congratulate you for successfully distracting me. For the past hour I've almost forgotten about the war while reading and replying to your letter. Unfortunately, I can't hide in a world you have created on paper forever. And I'm afraid I have to bring us back to reality: we are in a very dangerous time. _

_The injury that you sustained during the battle at the Department of Mysteries was a result from an oversight on my part. You have thanked me for brewing you the potions. But what really should have happened was me apologizing for not being there for you when you needed help. I have made it clear to you that I will always be available for your assistance. I hope you will keep that in mind and try to stay safe while following that foolhardy Potter around. I still think he should take at least part of the responsibilities for your injury. But knowing you wouldn't agree with my assessment, I'm not going to further elaborate my point, other than stating that I cannot allow it to happen again. _

_I will be hand-delivering this letter when I see you after the next Order meeting. Something tells me you will be waiting outside of the meeting room for me to "address your questions." I appreciate the cover story and intend to continue using it. I don't want to attract any attention from the others. A friendship with a student can be easily misunderstood, especially for someone like me. I've had enough of the ridicule from Black, and certainly do not need another reason for him to attack my integrity any further. Keeping our communications away from their prying eyes is also good for your reputation. Trust me. You have no idea how many people hate me to the bone._

_I appreciate you considering me someone worthwhile to exchange correspondence. However, I'm afraid it is not wise to continue our exchange through this fashion. Too many things can go wrong if our messages fall into the wrong hands._

_If I recall correctly, you've informed me that you'll be returning to your parents' place the week after you receive this. If at all possible, I will make arrangements for us to meet again over the summer at the bakery in muggle London. The message will most likely come to you either through my Patronus or an owl in the disguise of delivering you the newspaper. Do not try to contact me. There is too much at stake._

_Until next time._

_S"_

Hermione folded the letter carefully in half before putting it into a small keepsake box she kept in her school trunk. She had read it tens of times, and had easily memorized the entire contents. But she still couldn't resist pulling it out of the box every day and rereading it again and again. There was an unexplainable magic in his handsome handwriting; her heart swelled in joy every time when that black lettering appeared before her.

It was over a month ago when she waited outside of the Order's meeting room at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Severus' dark eyes immediately found hers when the wizard emerged from the meeting room. A subtle message was exchanged through a couple of meaningful glances. No one suspected anything however, when the professor walked arrogantly past the young witch, while pulling a book out of his traveling cloak.

"The extra reading shall suffice your curiosity, Miss. Granger." He stated coolly, walking by Shaklebolt and Mad-Eye, who were putting on their traveling cloak in the landing leading to the front door. "I will not accept any additional questions from you, for I'm not obligated to work overtime in the summer as anyone's private tutor. The cover of the book is rather fragile. I suggest you take extra care during your reading. I expect the book to maintain its current condition when you return it to me when school resumes." Severus added impassively. Without waiting for a reply from Hermione, he swept out of the door without another word.

Hermione ran straight to her room with the book held tightly in her arms. It was a copy of the Advanced Potions Theory she had seen in his office. Carefully, she opened the book and looked inside the cover. A smile quickly spread across her face when she found the "fragile" item carefully tucked inside the book cover.

She clung on to his every word as she waited eagerly for his message. She had played in her mind countless times how she would greet him with a big hug, thank him for his advice and encouragement, and spend however long he could spare her, talking about whatever he would be interested in discussing. Every day she looked towards the sky, searching for the elegant silver doe. She carefully looked through every Daily Prophet delivered to her by the ever changing post owls, hoping a magical roll of parchment would appear before her, with his familiar handwriting offering her the meeting instruction.

To her greatest disappointment, however, the message that he promised her never came.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger wondered why there was constantly a small frown between their daughter's brows. They didn't understand why she seemed so nervous when she got the wizarding newspaper from the owls every morning. Sometimes she seemed disappointed for not seeing something she was looking for, but some other times she seemed rather relieved as if the absence of certain news was actually comforting.

"It's about the whole wizarding culture that she's slowly blending into." Mr. Granger commented.

"It's about boys." Mrs. Granger voiced her disagreement.

But neither one was able to get the answer from their teenage girl. For them, the summer simply slipped by too fast. Before they could convince Hermione to join them on a ski trip over the Christmas break, they found themselves waving good-bye to their daughter and her friends on Platform 9 and 3/4.

* * *

Hermione felt a heavy burden lift from her chest when she found Severus sitting behind the head table in the Great Hall. She had been worried sick for most of the summer, thinking the absence of his message might be caused by some injury he had sustained during a dangerous missions working for the Order. Seeing him in apparently good health was a great relief to Hermione. But a frown of confusion quickly crawled up her brows when she realized the wizard avoided her glance the entire night. She wondered what had happened during the summer that had changed the man by so much. Did he not mean what he said in his letter? Did he lose his interest in spending time together already?

Realizing Severus had taken over the DADA teaching post also bothered Hermione a great deal. She was sure he would have heard about the rumored curse put on the position. Did he plan on leaving the school after this school year? Where would he go?

Hermione was preoccupied by all the unanswered questions all day the following day. Her friends were quite surprised to see her refrain from raising her hands in all of their classes. Shortly after dinner, she found herself knocking on the door leading to the office of the newly appointed DADA professor.

"Enter."

She smiled at his velvet voice and quietly entered his office with his book in her hands. "Hi." She greeted him pleasantly while closing the door behind her.

He narrowed his eyes at her for a long moment, before letting out a deep sigh. Pointing his wand at the door he cast a _Muffliato_ charm. He then looked down at the paper before him and said in a cold voice that sent a chill down her spine. "I was busy this summer."

"I understand." She tried to ignore the distanced tone in his voice. Slowly, she walked to his desk and sat down in a chair across from him. "But you had me worried."

"You shouldn't have wasted your time worrying about me, Miss Granger."

The smile disappeared from her face and she looked at him in alarm. Why was he addressing her so formally again? "Why, Severus?" She asked in a low voice. "What happened?"

He opened his mouth but didn't answer, as if he couldn't find the right words. After a long moment he swallowed hard and looked up at her. "I think you need to focus on your studies. You might be a good student inside the classroom, but there's still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to practical magic."

"That doesn't explain why... why you are talking to me like this," she argued. "Why are you talking to me like a teacher again?"

"Because I _AM_ your teacher!" He snarled. "And that explains everything! You need to focus on learning, practicing, and... preparing!"

"Preparing for what?" She raised her voice, overwhelmed by disappointment and confusion.

"For the war!" He snapped. "Don't try to hide in the dream that you made up in your mind any more. Anyone could tell you the silencing charm cannot stop a Death Eater from cursing you!"

She gasped in surprise at the implication of his words. "That _WAS_ you!" She exclaimed. "Sirius was right! I know he suspected it was you. You saved him, and you saved us!"

"But I was too late, too late to block Dolohov's curse." The words escaped from his lips like a whisper.

Blinking at the wizard a few times Hermione frowned. "No, you weren't late. You saved us all. But why, Severus? Why didn't you tell Sirius? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't I just tell you?" He grunted. "Even with just a suspicion, Black was happily accusing me of saving his life in order to force a life debt upon him. So tell me, why would I want to satisfy his curiosity at the cost of my integrity? By the way, I expect you to keep this information to yourself, unless if you want to see me tracking that arrogant bastard down in Europe and duel him to death," he hissed.

Taking a few deep breaths Hermione tried to wrap her head around the information. She ran both hands through her hair and let out a frustrated sigh. "I really didn't expect to learn about all this tonight. I guess I should thank you for telling me. But I still don't get it. How does all the information that you just threw at me have anything to do with you distancing yourself from me?"

"All along I thought you were clever." He got up from his seat abruptly and said darkly. "I'm tired of pretending, Miss Granger." With his arms crossed over his chest he began to pace by the bookshelf. "Let's face it: the future you want to believe in does not exist! Although I have long ago established the understanding that your little experience in the 'other world' is not going to provide any useful information to help anyone in this war, it's only recently that I realized the mere fact of you experiencing those 'dreams' have already changed our future. If it wasn't because of your meddling with my work for the Headmaster, I wouldn't have felt obligated to follow you to the Department of Mysteries. Without me there, I see no reason Black would have survived. And your pitiful friends... I wouldn't be surprised if more of them had sustained further damage than you did." He let out a frustrated grunt, which sounded both intimidating and confusing to Hermione. "For your information, Miss Granger, much has happened over the summer. Those events have led me to believe the result of the war will not be the same as you've envisioned in your so-called dreams. Admit it: you are no seer. Stop hanging on to that hope for the future where everyone will live happily ever after. The evil you will face is much more powerful than you can imagine. I suggest you focus on your practice, and keep your mind out of those pathetic daydreams."

"Pathetic...?" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she took in his every word. There was simply too much for Hermione to process. Severus sounded nothing like his letter. He was such a different person! "But that doesn't mean we can't be friends!" She choked on her words.

"Teachers are not friends, Miss Granger." He replied sternly, didn't seem to be affected by the tears on her face. "Find a _friend_ your own age. Potter... Weasley... Longbottom. There are plenty of them. Now if you'll excuse me," he strode to the door and held it open. "I am busy." Spotting the book she held in her hands he added impassively. "You can leave the book on the desk."

Fighting to maintain her composure Hermione dashed out of his office. The sound of him closing the door behind her however crumbled the dam guarding her emotions. Hiding in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom she could no longer control her sorrow. His cold words made little sense to her. She had to believe whatever had "happened in the summer" must have caused the one hundred and eighty degree change in his attitude. But what had exactly happened? Could this be the time when the mysterious woman finally entered his life? Would this mean the end of their friendship, and the beginning of her having to face the world alone with her memories from the "other world"? An unfamiliar pain overwhelmed the young witch's heart. She had never felt so alone her whole life.

She didn't sneak back into the Gryffindor tower until the entire castle seemed to be quietly asleep. With a _Muffliato_ charm guarding her four-poster bed, Hermione cried herself to sleep in that very cold night.

* * *

"Well done, Harry." The round-faced potions master patted the young wizard's shoulder and complimented Harry cheerfully. "You clearly have your mother's talent. No one seems to be able to compete with my young potions genius!" Horace Slughorn glanced over Hermione's cauldron. "Not bad, Miss Granger! I suspect your potion is only slightly lacking the clarity because of the omission of the peppermint included in Mr. Potter's work."

Harry smiled smugly as he carefully began to fill a glass vial with the Elixir to Induce Euphoria from his cauldron.

"How did you know to add peppermint?" Hermione frowned at her friend. "It's not in the book!"

"Not in _that_ book." Harry gestured towards the copy in front of the witch with a smirk. "But I have my sources." Ignoring the witch's questioning glance he quickly corked his potion and gathered his things into his book bag, which included a few pages of notes and a much worn copy of the text. "Are you done, Ron?" He turned to the other side and addressed his fellow Gryffindor Quidditch teammate. "We only have a window of a couple hours before dinner. And then I have to go see the Headmaster. Do you still want to play a few rounds of catch at the pitch or not?"

"Of course!" The red-headed wizard mumbled his reply as he hurriedly filled up his glass vial with some yellowish liquid from his cauldron. "I'm done here. Just a minute."

Harry grimaced at the potion in Ron's cauldron but didn't say another word. He picked up his book bag and said quietly to Hermione. "We'll see you at dinner then?"

The young witch nodded absentmindedly in reply. Her brows were twisted into a tight knot as she re-read the instructions in the book. Where else should she find the information about the extra peppermint? Did Harry find something in the library that she should have found, too?

While her two friends flied above the Quidditch pitch, Hermione found herself wandering down the castle corridor heading towards the library. She bit on her lips hard as she reflected about her performance in potions in the past few months. Although Slughorn had never even implied that her abilities were anything less than outstanding, Hermione kept feeling frustrated when Harry almost beat her every time with a better quality potion. Did he really suddenly inherit his mother's talent in potions and come up with those brilliant alternatives to enhance his potions? Or did she, Hermione Granger, let her own emotional struggle with rejection interfere with her class work?

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard someone calling enthusiastically from behind. "Hermione! Wait up!"

Quickly turning around, Hermione noticed Cormac McLaggen, a fellow Slug Club member, running towards her. The seventh-year Gryffindor had always been friendly with the young witch. Perhaps a little too friendly, if it was up to Hermione to judge. However, he had never tried to seek her out outside of their club gatherings. Slightly confused by him calling after her, the witch stopped her footstep and waited for the young wizard.

"Hey, Hermione. I've been looking for you for days! You always leave before the Quidditch practice is over."

"I don't usually GO to the Quidditch practice, Cormac." Hermione answered plainly. "Why were you looking for me?"

"Oh... I thought you'd be like those other girls from your class, like... Lavender... Well, no matter." The confused look quickly disappeared from Cormac's face and he straightened up with a charming smile. "I was wondering if you would like to come to Slughorn's Christmas party as my date."

"Oh..." Hermione hesitated. She could handle basic friendly interactions with McLaggen. But that was far from going to a party as his date. Just as she was trying to think of a polite excuse to decline his invitation however, she saw from the corner of her eye the shadow of a familiar wizard. Quickly she glanced over McLaggen's shoulder, and noticed Severus watching her interaction with McLaggen intensely. Narrowing her eyes she returned the wizard's gaze with a stare. Taking in a deep breath she turned her attention to Cormac and faked a smile. "That would be lovely. I'll be happy to go to the party as your date."

"Fantastic! I knew you're a clever girl." The young wizard was completely unaware of the professor watching them in a distance. "I think some of the people on Slughorn's guest list are from the Ministry. My uncle is very well connected. If I see anyone I know I can introduce you. You see, Hermione, it's never too early to think ahead for your future." He gave her a mysterious smirk before reaching over and tucking a strand of Hermione's hair behind her ear. Not taking her reaction of taking a step back as a protest, the young wizard leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the witch's cheek.

Hermione felt her stomach turned as she felt Cormac's cold wet lips touching her face. Instinctively she wanted to reach up and wipe it off. But when she looked up and found the piercing glare from Severus, she swallowed hard and kept a smile in her face.

"I'll meet you at the Common Room at 6:30 next Saturday then?" Cormac asked with a wink.

Trying her best not to look towards the wizard in the distance Hermione answered. "That would be perfect."

* * *

Hermione was utterly miserable at Slughorn's Christmas party. She found the new Potions Master's exotic guests rather boring, and some plain out creepy, like the vampire that kept staring at people's necks. But what bothered her the most was the date she had for the evening. McLaggen seemed to have only one goal for the night: impressing Hermione Granger with stories about all of his excellent physical abilities and outstanding political connections.

"You should have seen me reeling in that giant carp. My uncle said he had never seen a carp that big, and never seen anyone being able to get a fish that size out of water without using magic... You should come to the camping trips with me, Hermione. I may even be able to make an introduction for you to the Minister himself! He and my uncle go way back... Say Hermione, why don't you come visit me over the summer? My parents are throwing a huge graduation party for me; loads of important people are coming. Well, they can't help it to have lots of friends at important places..."

Hermione found her head pounding from listening to the overly enthusiastic wizard. To make things worse, she quickly found the young wizard's hands reaching too eagerly for her body. As she tried to push the arm that rested on her shoulders for the third time, however, she noticed the appearance of the only wizard she wanted to see.

Severus Snape looked even more bitter than his usual self. Hermione wondered if he seemed so miserable because his lady friend had refused to join him at the party. Her heart had turned into lead when she noticed him walk away quietly without saying a word after witnessing McLaggen place a kiss on her cheek in the middle of the castle corridor under broad daylight. He probably couldn't care less who she came with to the party.

The wizard's dark eyes suddenly found the witch and her date. She shivered when she noticed the anger in his eyes. But why should she care? He was the one pushing her away and he was the one who failed to bring his own date. Why did she have to be miserable just because he was angry? Hermione thought to herself feverishly as she ran through all the different scenarios why Severus came to the party alone in her head. Taking in a few deep breaths she quickly decided: this was her life and she was of age. She could date whomever she pleased!

With her mind made up, she turned to face McLaggen again. Instead of pushing his arm away from her shoulder however, she wrapped her arms around the young wizard's waist and gave him a small hug. "Thanks for the invitation, Cormac." She smiled brightly, "I'll talk to my parents and see if our holiday plans will work around the date of your graduation party."

When she broke away from the hug and looked around the corner she sighed. She was right about Severus, he couldn't care less. The wizard in black was already on his way out of the room, with Filch and Draco Malfoy trailing behind.

* * *

The only thing Severus could hear was the echo of his dragon hide boots stomping the grounds in the empty corridor. The only thing he could feel was anger.

He wished he could just hex that Malfoy brat and get through all of his plans using Legilimency. But that was prohibited by the Headmaster's grand scheme. Sometimes Severus wondered why he was still hanging around at the war. Was this really the only role for him to play: to kill Albus Dumbledore?

Severus was certain this path would not be leading him to the future that Hermione Granger had once told him about: where the Dark Lord would be defeated, and he would be considered a war hero. The entire Order of the Phoenix would be after him as soon as the Headmaster died by his hand. Who in their right mind would call him a hero?

He knew Slughorn was going to ask him tomorrow why he didn't return to the party. He'd have to come up with a benign answer in the morning, instead of telling the man that he found most of the guests unpleasantly boring. But what really infuriated him however, was seeing Granger warming up to Cormac McLaggen.

Severus wished he could walk over to the pair and send the young man to detention right away. But he couldn't. They were both of age and this was their Christmas holiday. He simply had no right to interfere. It was dead obvious to Severus that Hermione was pretending to play along just to make him jealous; and she had certainly succeeded. But what was there for him to do? Giving in to his heart would only mean one thing: having it broken in a few months when the world witnessed his performance.

A sudden yelp coming from a distance classroom reached his ear. The voice sounded too familiar. Severus quickly swung around and ran towards the scream.

"Get off of me!"

"Come on... why are you so shy now? Weren't you hinting at this all night long? I'm glad you found this empty classroom. No one is around to interrupt..."

"No! Let me go! I'm not interested!"

"Not interested? It wasn't what I read from your body language earlier tonight..."

The classroom door flung open and startled the intoxicated Gryffindor wizard. Cormac McLaggen had Hermione pinned to the wall, his hands on her wrists and one knee between her legs. Seeing the intimidating Professor Snape appearing out of nowhere was probably the most effective detoxification the young wizard had ever experienced. He took a step back and loosened his hands on Hermione's wrists.

Quickly freeing her arms from the young wizard's tight grips, Hermione sent McLaggen backwards with a strong push. "Stay away from me!" She grunted.

"No means no, Mr. McLaggen." Severus addressed the young Gryffindor darkly. "Which part of Miss Granger's words did you not understand?"

"It's not what it seems, sir." McLaggen tried to salvage his image in front of a teacher. "She has been hinting at this the entire night..."

"Let me give you a better hint, Mr. McLaggen." Severus cut the wizard off and stated dangerously. "You have ten seconds to remove yourself from my sight. If you fail to comply, your well-connected relatives will be receiving a report in the morning regarding the expulsion of their family brat, due to an attempt to sexually assault another student."

Blood drained from the young wizard's face. Without giving Hermione another look, Cormac McLaggen dashed out of the classroom. His footsteps soon disappeared into the distance.

With a few long strides Severus came stood before the young witch. "What did you think you were doing?!" He hissed.

Her chest heaving, Hermione kept her eyes away from his piercing glare. "I was following a _teacher_'s advice, and was making a friend _my own age_."

He stared at her for a long moment before sneering. "You are disappointing me."

"Oh really?" Hermione arched her brows and braved a glance at the man who had stolen her heart. "How am I disappointing you? Am I disappointing you because I couldn't be dismissed like a schoolgirl when you lost your interest? Am I disappointing you because I can't let go of the hope that we can be more than friends? Or am I disappointing you because I can't stop thinking about you even though you can't care less about me?" Her voice shook as her silent tears ran down her cheeks. Taking a deep breath she stood tall and asked in the most controlled demeanor she could muster. "Tell me Severus, how am I disappointing you?!"

He didn't answer her question. But his dark eyes fixed upon hers as he took a small step forward. He lowered his head towards her slowly, and only stopped when his forehead almost touching hers. He was so close to her she could feel his quickening breaths on her face. She let her gaze followed his cheeks down to his mouth. Giving her lips a nervous lick, she wondered what it'd feel like when she could finally taste him.

Yet he suddenly pulled away from her, as if stunned by something only visible to himself. When she looked up at him in surprise, she found absolute misery in his dark eyes. It was clearly pain he was desperately trying to hide. But there was something else. Something Hermione didn't expect to see: fear.

"What are you afraid of, Severus?" She whispered softly.

Her quiet inquiry seemed to have frightened the wizard even more. He took a stumble backwards and swallowed hard. Without saying another word, Severus walked out of the classroom, leaving the witch sobbing quietly in the empty room.

"What are you afraid of, Severus?" She asked between her tears. "Why can't you tell me?"

TBC

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_**It hurts to fall in love sometimes. The deeper the feelings, the deeper the cut. Don't you agree? I always love hearing from you. =)**_


	16. Leap of Faith

**_A/N: _**_Here comes a big step. And I'm terrified... Is this what you expected? Or something acceptable at least? I'm afraid I may fail miserably at my feeble attempt to write romance. Let me know what you think, would ya? =)_

**Warning: The following chapter contains a character's subtle consideration of suicide. Do not proceed if you think the situation may offend you.**

**_Luna de Papel... you can do no wrong._**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

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**Chapter Sixteen – Leap of Faith**

It was a scene Hermione didn't expect to see in the Gryffindor Common Room. When she returned from the library one evening, she saw a furious Ginny standing between a sofa and the fireplace, cornering Harry against the wall. With her hands stretching forward, the young witch seemed determined to get something from her boyfriend. Harry, on the other hand, was standing against the wall with his arms behind him, like a little boy hiding a cookie that he just stole from the kitchen. Sitting on the edge of a nearby chair, was a very concerned-looking Ron, with a frown that Hermione wasn't used to seeing between his brows.

"What's going on?" The witch dropped her book bag and plopped down in a sofa next to the redhead. "What did I miss?"

"Harry almost got Malfoy killed." Ron whispered in reply, his eyes locked on his best mate.

"Give it to me, Harry." Ginny pressed on with her request. "It's not good for you - that book. Believe me, I learned my lessons about books in my first year. If you don't want to run a basilisk's fang through it, at least let me help you get rid of it."

"What do you mean he _almost_ got Malfoy killed?" Hermione whispered her question as she tried to catch up with the story. "What happened?"

"They apparently got into a fight, and Harry used a spell he learned from an old textbook. And it happens to be the same curse that wounded Sirius." Ron answered quietly. "Fortunately, or unfortunately if you ask me, Snape was nearby so Malfoy is still alive. I think even that greasy git was shocked by effect of the curse, because he let Harry go without assigning any detentions."

"What textbook?" Hermione was alarmed. She had heard from Remus that the curse injuring Sirius was very complex. It could have easily been lethal if someone, as she had later learned, Severus, hadn't been there to stop the wizard's bleeding. Remus even suggested a possible connection between the curse and dark magic, since it wasn't commonly known and was used by Death Eaters. A textbook was truly the last place Hermione had expected to find information about the curse.

"Let me see it." She walked up from behind Ginny and said to Harry. "At least let me see what kind of textbook it is."

"It's just some notes written in my potions textbook." Harry raised the book to show Hermione, unprepared for his girlfriend's quick reflexes. Ginny had been watching Harry's every move closely. As soon as the book made the appearance, the young witch snatched it from her boyfriend's hand and took a few steps back away from the wizard.

"Give it back!" Harry shouted.

"Hermione will have to check it out first." Ginny handed the book to the witch behind her.

Eyes widened, Hermione immediately recognized the old text that Harry had been using in potions since the start of the school year. Leafing through it quickly, she noticed detail notations that explained all of Harry's brilliant performance in potions classes. Her brows furrowed as she found the handwriting in the textbook glaringly familiar. She could feel her heart racing as she noticed the similarity between the notes written in black ink before her and the words written in the letter that she had safely locked away in her trunk. Although the strokes in the text seemed slightly immature, Hermione was quite certain she knew the owner of the handwriting.

And apparently, she quickly discovered much more than the owner of the book: when she turned to the back of the book, she was greeted by a line of handsome inscription: _This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince_.

The noise in the Common Room suddenly seemed to have vanished. Hermione could no longer see or hear her friends around her. With a thick fog clouding her senses, there was only one innocent voice she could hear echoing in her head:

_"Mom, are we related to the Half-Blood Prince?... The Half-Blood Prince, you know, Severus Snape! The hero from the British Wizarding Wars... Did you know Tobias is Severus' middle name? Did you name me after him?"_

And then, it was the velvet voice asking in alarm:

_"Toby? You never told me that's his name... Who named your son?"_

Suddenly feeling lightheaded, Hermione wasn't sure if her legs could support her much longer. She took a step backwards and practically fell into the sofa.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny ran to her side.

"Blimey, is that thing making you sick?" Ron glared at the old text book in Hermione's hands in surprise.

"Oh... No." Hermione answered, her eyes locked into the distance. "I'm just... a bit... tired from all the reading in the library... I guess."

"Give it back to me." Harry reached over Ginny's shoulders and took the book back from Hermione.

"Hey!" Ginny protested, but she quickly turned to her girlfriend. "What do you think Hermione? Is it cursed?"

With her heart pounding in her ears, it took Hermione a few seconds to realize her friend was waiting for an answer from her. "Oh..." she looked at Ginny with a blank stare before answering in a distanced voice. "Uh... I don't think so. It's actually just an old potions textbook. But some of the unrelated notes are probably not good to follow."

"But he still should get rid of it, right?" Ginny had always trusted Hermione's judgment.

"Probably," Hermione answered absentmindedly. Ignoring her friend's curious glances, she picked up her book bag and ran up to her room.

* * *

A light drizzle started just about supper time. Accompanied by a gentle breeze from the west, a small gathering of grey clouds quietly swallowed the shimmering moonlight, allowing the tender rain shower to caress the forsaken soil in absolute darkness. Whispering a promise of hope, the fresh scent of spring seeped through the castle windows and reached for the deepest corners behind the enchanted stone walls, searching for a home in the sentimental hearts.

But anger was the only thing Severus Snape was capable of feeling.

Standing alone atop of the astronomy tower, the wizard replayed in his head his conversation earlier that day with the Headmaster. He couldn't help but wonder, how much more would the old man want from him?

All these years he had spied, lied, put his own life in danger for Dumbledore - that wasn't enough; he had agreed to put on a performance and murder the man in front of an audience of Death Eaters in a few months' time - but that still wouldn't be enough; he was now instructed to wait in the shadow of the Dark Lord, only to reveal the truth to the boy-who-lived when the moment was right: in order to defeat Voldemort, Harry Potter must be killed. The boy he had promised to protect... must die!

He felt utterly drained by the burden of responsibilities and disheartening prospect of the days ahead. As Dumbledore had insisted, there would be no other way. No other way for what? Severus felt his bitterness fueled by resentment. Were there really no other ways to fight the war? No other ways to defeat the Dark Lord? And no other ways to fulfill his promise to protect Lily's son?

He slammed a fist on the railing around the tower. The metal was cold and slick from the raindrops. With his eyes closed Severus looked up, meeting heavens' tears with his bare skin. The coldness suddenly felt calmingly refreshing. When he opened his eyes again Severus looked down towards the pitch-black castle grounds, wondering what would happen if he were to take a step forward and cross the railing. If he was fortunate, he might even get a chance to see Lily, and apologize for his mistake, and for the fact that he had failed her. If he were to die today, he would no longer be able to protect her son, as he had promised too long ago. Yet that wouldn't even matter, since now that he knew the boy had been kept alive all along, only so that he could be killed at the proper moment. When he looked at things in that perspective, he really had given his everything for nothing.

If he did take a leap from the tower, few would care. The news would probably make the front page in tomorrow's Daily Prophet and spread across the country. He could almost see the headline reading: _Rumored Curse Strikes Again, Latest DADA Professor Severus Snape Fell to His Doom_. It would be some juicy gossip enjoyed by many at gatherings and parties around town. But after that, he would soon be forgotten. Dumbledore would be disappointed, for he would need to come up with another plan, and find another tool to use. No one would mourn him, except for...

Severus inhaled sharply and took a stumble backwards. In the complete darkness before him, he could almost see the soft brown eyes looking back at him. Yes, a young witch named Hermione Granger would probably cry at his funeral, if they were so kind to put one up for him. She would mourn a friendship she had hoped to see blossom, and she might even remember him as a friend from a different world. At least there would be a chance that she would think of him as a friend, Severus frowned. Wouldn't that be a better alternative? She wouldn't need to think of him as the murderer who killed the headmaster, and she wouldn't need to remember him as the one who told her best friend that he must die by the Dark Lord's hands.

Wouldn't that be a better arrangement? Severus' frown deepened. If he were to die today, he would at least have one friend in the world that would remember him, perhaps even visit his grave once in a while.

A gust of strong wind brought a wave of heavy rain into the lookout of the tower. Severus shivered from the sudden chill attacking his skin and the dark thoughts overwhelming his mind. How much more selfish could he be? He shook his head in disgust and scolded himself inwardly. Only a coward would run from his responsibilities. Only a coward would leave the one who cared about him to suffer. Did she still care about him? Or was that too much to assume after his terrible attitude towards her in the recent months? Severus wasn't sure. But he did know the chance for the Dark Lord to be defeated would be terribly slim if he were to remove himself, the most effective tool, from Dumbledore right now. After all, the old man wouldn't have much time left. If the end of Dumbledore would mark the end of the war, the muggleborns wouldn't stand a chance in the Dark Lord's wrath. And Hermione, the witch who held his heart, wouldn't have a future that she would deserve.

Severus made an abrupt turn and quickly retreated from the tower. He might be losing the chance to protect Lily's son, but he wouldn't give up the opportunity to fight for a better future for Hermione, even if that would mean for her to forever hate him for the things that he was ordered to do.

Before long, Severus found himself sinking deep into his sofa next to the fireplace, his legs popped up on an ottoman and a glass of firewhiskey held loosely in his hand. Resting his head backwards he closed his eyes, waiting for the powerful liquor to do its magic. He had made the decision to live that day, but it didn't mean he couldn't rely on a bit of substance to subdue the pain that had long become a part of his existence.

* * *

Standing outside of Severus' private quarters, Hermione felt herself shaking. She wasn't sure if she could define the emotions rushing through her head. All she knew was that she couldn't be more excited to know she had finally found the man who must have shared a special bond with her in an alternative world. She was also angry to think that Severus had been hiding the truth from her for such a long time. And beyond that, she couldn't help but feeling frightened to predict his reaction when she confronted him about the choices had had made.

She had skipped supper and was hiding behind the curtains and a _Muffliato_ charm in her four-poster bed the entire time, working out all the memories she could gather and all the signs that she had missed. She laughed and cried at her hypothesis like a mad woman. By the time all of her roommates fell silent in their beds, Hermione had made up her mind: there was only one person who could confirm her theory; and she had no patience to wait for morning to arrive to have her questions answered.

She could see light radiating from under the door leading to Severus' rooms. She hesitated briefly before knocking on his door softly. No one answered. She knocked again, only this time a bit more urgently. She looked around carefully to make sure she wasn't waking up any of the portraits hanging along the corridors.

That was when she heard a growl coming from inside. "Go away McGonagall. You can thank me tomorrow. Don't make me change my mind. I could easily make a case suggesting that Potter brat be expelled for his attempt to murder another student."

Frowning slightly Hermione drew in a deep breath, and knocked on the door once more.

"Am I ever allowed a moment of peace?" He barked on the other side of the wall. And his heavy footsteps further announced his dreadful mood. He stopped short from opening the door. She could tell he was standing right behind the door when he hissed, "did you not hear me? If you have any further questions about Potter's behavior this afternoon, we will discuss that tomorrow morning, when I will actually get _paid_ to do my job!"

"It's me, Severus." Hermione tried her best to sound calm.

There was a long, silent pause. And then, the door cracked open.

Hermione wasn't sure she had ever seen Severus like this. The wizard had removed his teaching robes and his long black coat. With the collar of his white shirt unbuttoned, he seemed younger than Hermione could ever remember. The redness in his eyes and the alcohol in his breath gave away yet another reason why he didn't want to be interrupted beyond the ones he had already listed.

"Have you been drinking?" Hermione asked quietly.

"It's not your god damn business." He sneered. But then he drew in a deep breath and briefly closed his eyes. A moment later he seemed to regain his intimidating composure as a professor and he snarled. "What do you think you are doing, Miss Granger? You'd better have a good reason to be here after curfew. What stupidity is Potter demonstrating now?"

"It's not about him, or anyone else." Hermione sighed.

Severus' brows furrowed, but he didn't move from the doorway, nor did he say a word.

"It's about us, Severus. We need to talk." She tried to keep her emotions at bay and stated firmly.

Blinking at the witch a few times Severus' frown deepened. "There is nothing to talk about, Miss Granger. And there isn't any 'us'. Go back to your room if you don't want to explain to your Head of House tomorrow why you lost the Gryffindors fifty points in the middle of the night." Before Hermione could reply the wizard began to shut the door in the girls face.

"You will _not_ close the door on me and we _will_ talk!" Hermione pushed the door open stubbornly and stared bravely into the wizard's dark eyes. "Severus Tobias Snape! I'm tired of you hiding the truth from me! You _will_ let me in and you _will_ answer my questions!" She raised her voice and demanded. Taking advantage of the shocking effect of her calling out his middle name, which she suspected was known by few, Hermione pushed passed the man and walked through the door. Standing in the middle of his room she looked back at him defiantly.

Closing the door quickly behind him Severus stared at the witch dangerously. "Are you mad? Do you have to wake up the entire castle?"

"You left me no choice." She swallowed. Ignoring his piercing glare, Hermione pointed her wand at the door and cast a _Muffliato_ charm. "The Half-Blood Prince has always been Toby's idol." She dropped her head and began quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." He sneered.

"Don't hide from me anymore, Severus." She looked up at him, with tears glistening in her eyes. "It was you. It's always been you. Don't pretend that you don't know. It's been crystal clear to you since I told you Toby's name. You were, you are, or maybe I should say you will be, the father of my son!"

"Nonsense!" He turned his back towards her and walked to his desk. With his hands firmly planted on his desk he snarled without looking at her. "I don't know where you got those ridiculous ideas. In case you are not aware of it, making false accusations constitutes the grounds for..."

"You traveled the world looking for us." She cut him off and continued, her voice wavering. "You spent decades searching for us. When you found us, even though you didn't understand why we were separated by what must have seemed like a lifetime, you stayed. That was why you cared about Toby so much, and spent so much time with us. You must have been trying to figure out what had taken us away from you, but you ran out of time." She swallowed a lump of tears in her throat and went on. "It was my fault for picking the necklace to wear that night. It only served as a reminder for you, the older you, and confirmed your suspicion had always been right. It must be too much for you to take..."

"STOP!" He bellowed before turning to face her, fury burning in his eyes. "Stop making up any more fairy tales in your head! What necklace? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Of course you do!" She raised her voice to match his, and tugged on a silver chain before pulling out the moonstone pendant. "You know I'm telling the truth. And you've known it for years now! That's why you charmed away the carvings on the pendant and asked Madame Pomfrey to hide your identity from me. Why didn't you want me to connect the dots? Why didn't you want to help me remember the connection we had in the other world?" Narrowing her eyes at the wizard's intimidating glare Hermione took off the necklace and quietly put it on his desk. "Is it really that bad to be with me?" Drawing in a deep breath she tried to maintain her composure. "Madame Pomfrey said you didn't tell her how I should return this to you. Here, I will return it to you in person and thank you for letting me having it for so long. I don't think you can understand, but it was my only hope to find my past all those years living alone in another world. But... if you think somehow what we once had would be an embarrassment to you..." She choked on her tears. "You can have it back." Covering her face with both hands, Hermione could no longer hold back her sobs.

She didn't hear his quiet footsteps, and was startled slightly when she felt his hand touching her hair. Looking up from her tears she noticed him standing next to her, holding the necklace in his hand. She let out a small gasp when she saw the familiar carving reappear on the silver backing of the pendant as he tugged away his wand. Following his hand she looked up at his face, and found his impassive eyes fixed upon the elegant piece of jewelry. She watched him carefully unclasp the small loops at the end of the chain and put the pendant back on her.

"I said ten moon cycles. It has only been nine." His voice was merely a whisper. "You should keep it on."

She caught one of his hands before he could move away from her. Looking at his face searchingly she asked, "why do you push me away?"

His eyes darted from her face to her hands. As if burned by her touch, he quickly pulled his hand out of her hold and turned away from her. "You won't understand. It's better if you stay away from me."

Closing her eyes Hermione let out a shattered sigh. "It's her, isn't it?" She asked quietly. "Am I in the way?"

He swung around at her question and glared at her with narrowed eyes.

"You told me yourself, the other you." She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. "You once told me there was someone in your life who had given you a reason to live and a reason to fight. She must be very important to you, mustn't she?" She asked bitterly. "But Severus, she doesn't care about you as much as I do! When you're old and sick, she won't be there! But I will! In this other world, I was your best friend. I was your only friend! You even left me with your estate for god's sake! She wasn't there for you! Don't you see? We had a future together in another alternative universe. We can have a future together in this world, too! Does the other woman really worth that much to make you give up on what we could have had?"

"What are you talking about?" He finally uttered a question. "What other woman?" He shook his head and let out a miserable huff. "Who do you think I am? Sirius Black?"

"There isn't... isn't someone else?" Her eyes widened as a silly grin slowly spread across her face. "You... are not... involved with another?" But a frown quickly crawled back to her brows as she realized she still didn't have the answer to her questions. Quietly she asked, more to herself than to him. "Then who were you referring to? I wonder why the older you wouldn't just tell me..."

He let out a sigh of defeat as he turned his back towards her. "I suppose even the know-it-all can miss the obvious." After a long pause of silence he continued. "Do you really think that without a proper explanation, an old man approaching death would tell you, a young mother with a teenage boy, that you were his lov..." He stopped abruptly at his words.

Her heart skipped a beat as she considered his unfinished words. Feeling indescribable warmth flooding her heart, Hermione took a few quick steps to the wizard's side and held on to his one arm. "Oh Severus, I can't believe how blind I have been! All along I thought... I was jealous of myself!" Her smile quickly disappeared however, when she realized he wasn't sharing the joy with her and wasn't about to turn to face her. "I don't understand then..." She frowned. "Why else are you pushing me away? Are you pushing me away because you are worried about my safety? I know you have a very dangerous job, working as the Order's spy. But please, Severus," she pleaded. "I'm not a child who needs protection. I've been practicing dueling just like you suggested. I've also been reading up on advanced charms and spells. I've been preparing myself as a fighter. I will stand by your side, even fight with you if you need the help. You really don't need to worry about me. And we'll be very discreet. No one needs to know about us seeing each other."

Slowly Severus looked up from behind the curtain of his black hair and regarded the witch sadly. "I'm afraid you think too highly of me. You really think I've been pushing you away just because of your safety? True, that was a consideration at one point, but I know you're a capable witch. That wasn't the only reason. I've only been selfish here."

"Selfish?" She frowned, "Wanting something more than friendship is hardly selfish, especially when the feelings are mutual. I want this, too, you know? Why can't you at least give it a try?"

He sent her a miserable glance as she finished her question. Shaking his head slowly, he rasped, "You don't understand... Hermione. I don't know how..."

"What don't you know?" She pulled on his other arm and turned him to face her. "You don't know how to do what?"

Looking at her hands on his arms Severus fell silent. Slowly he pulled his arms away from her and walked to the sofa by the fireplace. Sinking down into the seat he buried his head in his hands; his pale long fingers pulled on his dark hair. "I don't know how to... try." He answered sadly. "When it comes to relationships, I don't know how to play the game. The other blokes would date, and would try things out; but not me. I put in too much, Hermione. I did it once, and I failed. It's too painful to fail, and I don't… want to experience that again."

Hermione felt her heart broken into pieces as she listened to his quiet confession. She walked to his side and got down on her knees. "I will never play down your love for Lily, Severus. But you have to understand your feelings weren't reciprocated because she didn't understand you. You were best friends when you were children. But then you grew apart."

"She grew up with me, Hermione." Severus shook his head again and whispered his reply. "How could she not know me? Once, I made a mistake and called her a terrible name, next thing I knew she never wanted to have anything to do with me anymore. I'll do something in the future that'll look like a terrible mistake, Hermione, a much worse one. You won't understand. And you'll leave me. You'll hate me. It'll pain me more to know that I lost you because of something I'm obligated to do. And I don't want that. Please," he looked at the floor before him and sighed, "don't push for this. I'm better off this way. You don't want me. Sooner or later you'll only regret..."

"No, never." She stopped him. "I won't. We all make mistakes." She reached one hand for his face and turned him towards her. "The mistake you are referring to happened years ago. And knowing you, I doubt the thing you said you'll have to do is a mistake. There is always more than what meets the eye when it comes to you." She let out an uneasy chuckle. "I only want you to explain it to me." Seeing the fear in his eyes she added hastily, "when you're ready, and when the time is right. I have faith in you, Severus. Can't you have a little faith in me, and a little faith in us?"

Without waiting for his reply Hermione reached up with her other hand and held his face. Slowly she rose from her knees to meet him. He didn't move, but swallowed hard as he watched her getting closer to him with heavy hooded eyes. When she touched his lips with a gentle kiss he let out a staggered sigh and closed his eyes.

In the back of his mind he heard sirens screaming: _You're falling!_ _Don't _do it_! You won't be able to take it when she leaves you one day! _But he couldn't pull himself away from her. Her soft warm lips tasted heavenly. His arms seemed to have their own agenda. Ignoring the warning flashing on his mind, he pulled her closer into his lap. Running a hand into her soft brown curls, he deepened their first kiss. Her lips parted with a soft groan, which nearly became his undoing.

Severus had no idea how long this relationship would last, and how Hermione would react to what he would do in the very near future. But for now, at this very moment, as her lips touching his, all of the stress and worries seemed to have disappeared from his entire being. Was it really all it would take, a little faith? Would they really have a future together? Severus didn't know. And for a very long time that evening, he forgot to even think about it.

TBC

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**_About time for the kiss? Are we moving too fast? Too slow? Review please? =)_**


	17. Part of the Plans

**_A/N: Sorry about the delay. What can I say... Life got in the way! (What else is new?) =) To make up for the long wait, here is an extra-long chapter. Hope you like it._**

**_Luna de Papel... I can always count on you! Thank you!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen – Part of the Plans**

It was definitely not what Hermione had envisioned how she would end her sixth year at Hogwarts: attending the Headmaster's funeral.

A small and tufty-haired wizard was reciting what must have been some ancient words of wisdom; but Hermione couldn't hear a word.

It had been over a week since the old headmaster fell from the Astronomy Tower. According to Harry, it was Severus who murdered Professor Dumbledore. Hermione had no doubt that Harry was telling the truth. But why would Severus do such a thing? And where did he go after that dreadful night? She kept her questions to herself, didn't dare to discuss her doubts with another soul, not even Crookshanks. Somehow she knew: this was the mistake Severus had referred to a few months ago, except that this was most definitely not a _mistake_. She truly believed there was a reason for the wizard to cast the unforgivable curse.

She had visited Severus in his private quarters almost every weekend since she confronted him with her discoveries. He seemed to have been convinced to accept her suggestion of giving a relationship "a try", and didn't object to the arrangement of spending some time together when Hermione's friends were out flying over the Quidditch pitch. Harry, Ron and Ginny had all assumed the witch had spent the time alone in the library, like she always did.

To all honesty, Hermione did do a fair amount of reading during those hours; except that she did her readings either with her head nestling against Severus' shoulder, or with her back leaning against his.

Severus seemed to have opened up to Hermione quite a bit when they were alone in his room, much like the way she remembered him from another time in another world. They resumed the friendly debates they once shared in the hospital wing after Hermione's injury almost a year ago. Aside from their intellectual exchange, they spent most of their time together in each other's arms. She found herself constantly drawn to his scent; and leaning against his strong shoulders made her feel nothing but content. She could tell that he welcomed her affection with equal enthusiasm. However, he also seemed to have confined himself within a certain constrain that had limited the progression of their intimate relationship. Every time when she felt like their kisses were about to take them to the next level, he was always the first one to pull away.

At the time Hermione had thought the wizard was avoiding advancing their relationship too far too fast due to their current situation as teacher and student, she now believed the true reason for his caution was because of this _act_ that he knew he would have to perform. Hermione remembered how worried the wizard was about her reaction to his actions. He had thought she would hate him for the "thing" he would do. If she was right about her suspicions, Hermione could only imagine how distraught Severus must be right now, knowing the entire world think of he as the murderer of the great wizard Dumbledore. Could it all be a part of a bigger plan agreed upon by the headmaster himself? And if it was indeed a play, how was Severus now? Was he also grieving the loss of Dumbledore like everyone else at the school? Was he safe? Was he maintaining communications with anyone in the Order? Hermione found her thoughts drifting further and further away from Hogwarts, worrying about the wizard that she had grown so close to in the past few weeks.

Looking at a white rose in her right hand, she slowly raised her left one and reached for the moonstone pendant dangling down a silver chain on her neck. It was the only tangible item she had in her possession that could bring her closer to Severus. With her brows furrowed she recalled one of their private conversations a few weeks ago...

* * *

_"Why do you always have this frown on your forehead?" She asked playfully as she traced her index finger along the crease between his brows one Sunday afternoon._

_"It's all you bloody Gryffindors' fault." Severus didn't seem to be bothered by her touch. Answering her absentmindedly, he picked up a Potions magazine from a small table by the sofa._

_"Now now..." Hermione pretended to be offended, but failed to hide the smirk spreading across her face. "What have I done lately to upset the world's famous grumpy old man?"_

_"World's famous grumpy old man?" He arched a brow at her and let out a huff. "Is that what they are calling me these days? I thought those dunderheads had long ago settled on the 'dungeon bat' and 'greasy git'."_

_Smiling at the wizard Hermione shook her head. "Oh no... They are not calling you that now. And by the way, you're nowhere near 'old'. But that's what my friend Jenny from the future will call you many years from now. You can't blame her, really. All of the war heroes get some sort of labels. Like the 'courageous' Harry, the 'loyal' Ron, and... well, the 'grumpy' Severus."_

_"The future..." His frown got a little deeper as he considered her words. Putting the magazine aside Severus turned his full attention back to the witch, who was now resting her head on his shoulder. "What about the headmaster?"_

_"Hmmm? Dumbledore? The meddling old coot?" Hermione couldn't help her chuckling at her memory. "Yes that's what people will call him. I still can't believe I told him that in his face on the day when I first 'woke up' in this world. He must have thought..."_

_"No." He stopped her with a rather serious stare. "That's not what I was asking. Do you remember what happened to him... during the war in this other time?"_

_"Oh..." Hermione frowned and fell silent. A moment later she sighed. "No, I don't remember. It's rather strange. I can remember almost everything from the other world except for my first nineteen years. It's almost as if I didn't spend the first part of my life there at all; and whatever happened in this life time was definitely forgotten by the time I woke up in that future world. Don't' get me wrong, it's not like I never tried reading about the war or never heard about the stories. I was pretty thorough with my reading, and little Toby wouldn't stop telling me all about Harry's __adventures__. But oddly, nothing about this part of history stuck to my memory, with the only exception of people's __reputations__ and personalities__."_

_"So..." He looked into the distance for a long moment before dropping his head. "You don't recall if Dumbledore made it through the war alive or not?"_

_Thinking to herself for a long while Hermione answered. "No, I can't remember. I can't remember if he died before or after the end of the war. But I know he did die before 'my time', per se. It's really not that surprising though, knowing 'my time' first started in 2048. That'd make him quite old, don't you think? How old do you think he is now? I have a hard time telling his age from his long white beard."_

_She nudged Severus gently when she didn't hear an answer. But she fell silent when she looked up at him. He was staring at an empty space before him, completely not aware of her questioning glance. Thinking he must be preoccupied by something important, Hermione settled back down next to the wizard, and began to play with her moonstone necklace._

_"How are you feeling these days?" His velvet voice suddenly asked. When she glanced towards him she saw him gesturing at the pendant. "What is it like having a spirit dangling down on your neck?"_

_"You mean Io?" She smiled at him._

_"Io?" He seemed amused. "Who's Io?"_

_She went on and explained to him her encounter with the spirit attached to the moonstone in her dreams. "I never actually felt any healing powers from her, other than knowing she is staying with me and helping me recover. It is comforting to know someone is watching over you, you know, like a guardian angel. But whatever she's been doing must be working. I can't feel a thing from the curse any more. I guess that's what it feels like to have a spirit dangling on my neck. Do you think your mother named her Io?"_

_"I doubt it." He picked up the pendant from the silver chain and examined it casually. "My mum rarely wore her jewelry__. It's highly unlikely she could be this Io's favorite mistress. I recall my mum once commented on the things she inherited from the Prince family. She didn't __sound happy about seeing them, and said that they only reminded her of the kind of life she should have had, but never got to have."_

_"I'm sorry." Hermione murmured. "It's a shame. This is truly a beautiful piece." _

_They marveled the simple elegance of the necklace quietly together, until she broke the silence. "But still, it's a family heirloom. The ten moon cycles ended weeks ago. Do you want it back? At least you can put it away somewhere safe?"_

_"It's useless if it's put away." He regarded her thoughtfully. "I'd rather put the spirit to work if this Io really exists."_

_"I think you've just made Io's day. She was quite concerned that her power hadn't been recognized by the Prince family until you sent her to me." Hermione recounted how the spirit complained about being locked away for all those years. "How are you going to put her to work, may I ask?"_

_"We can simply leave her with you. Being with you is a much suitable place than being in a box, don't you agree?" The corners of his lips corked up into a small smile. "At least she'll get a chance to demonstrate her ability while __protecting you through the war."_

_"Protecting me?" She arched her brows. "You're counting on a necklace to keep me safe?" She commented teasingly. "Are you saying I can't count on my knight in shining armor to stand by my side?"_

_She instantly regretted her words when she noticed a shadow of sadness clouding his dark eyes. He let out a sigh and looked away. Pulling on his one arm she hastily added. "You know I'm only joking. I'm not asking for any promises from you or anything. You understand that, right?"_

_He looked back at her tenderly. The complex expression in his deep dark eyes made the young witch's heart shiver. And then, without answering her, he leaned over and pulled her into his arms. The world around Hermione soon lost its focus when his lips touched hers..._

* * *

"Are you coming Hermione?"

Hermione was startled when she heard Ron addressing her from a few steps away. Ahead of him, Harry had already followed a line of students walking towards the shore of the Black Lake. Hermione hurried her footsteps and caught up with her two best friends. One by one they walked by the white tomb and laid down a white rose. With her fingers brushing gently against the cold smooth marble, Hermione could hear the old wizard's words at their last meeting lingering on her mind: _trust your intuition_.

* * *

_It was only two weeks since__ Hermione had been __called to the Headmaster's office after supper._

_"Thanks for coming at such a short notice, Miss Granger!" _

_Hermione was greeted by Dumbledore's cheerful voice as soon as she entered the Headmaster's office. She was quite surprised by the professor's summon. It had been over a year since she last visited the headmaster in his office. Last time when she was there, she forced a deal with the old wizard, and bargained for a backup plan for Severus. She had always wondered if the Headmaster was going to call her on her bluff. After all, it shouldn't take one of the most powerful wizards of their time to see through her white lies._

_Hermione sat down nervously in the chair across the Headmaster's desk, hoping the passing of time had lessened the memory of their last intense discussion. "You wished to see me, professor?" She looked up at Dumbledore carefully._

_The wizard seemed much older than Hermione could remember. She wondered if age had finally caught up with the old man. _

_Dumbledore smiled at the witch, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "Oh dear, time surely flies, doesn't it? You certainly are all grown up, Miss Granger! It just occurred to me today that it's been quite a long time since we last got together and reviewed your progress in Occlumency. How are you doing on the subject, if you don't mind me asking?"_

_"Oh, not at all." Hermione let out a relieved sigh - so this visit is not about their previous conversation. "I've been practicing all along, professor, almost every night. Although I never had the opportunity to test it out. You know... not that I had a reason to..."_

_"Certainly my dear." The headmaster nodded in understanding. "As long as you've been practicing, I'm sure you're making good progress. If you're interested, and if we have the time, perhaps we could have a little fun and test out your abilities later this evening. But before we get to that, I just want to revisit our last conversation... oh when was that... about a year ago?"_

_Hermione's heart sank to her stomach. Oh no, so the Headmaster did remember their negotiation and was probably ready to point out the flaws in the claims she used as her bargaining chips. Eyes widened, she was momentarily speechless. The young witch stared at the headmaster anxiously, dreading what he was about to say._

_"I just want to assure you, Miss Granger, no matter what happens, I will keep my end of the promise." The old wizard continued to smile warmly__ at the young witch._

_Completely unprepared for the __wizard's__ words, Hermione gaped at him__ in surprise. It wasn't until__ a few moments later when she finally regained her composure and answered. "Thank you Professor Dumbledore. And you know you have my word too."_

_"It was never a concern of mine that you'll keep your end of the bargain my dear." Professor Dumbledore chuckled slightly. "Lemon drops?" He offered._

_Hermione took a piece of the muggle candy from a crystal bowl on the headmaster's desk. "Thanks, professor. But did you ask me to come here just to tell me you'll keep your promise?"_

_"Yes." The Headmaster nodded and answered matter-of-factly. "Sometimes even the smallest facts deserve to be mentioned and reaffirmed. Just so that we remember, you know, what we believe in."_

_Hermione frowned at the Headmaster's words, sensing a subtle message hidden in his statement. _

_"Miss Granger, it's been a while since we last talked." The Headmaster regarded the young witch kindly and went on. "There was an incident that happened a couple years ago for which I wish to make an apology." Ignoring the witch's surprised glance the old wizard continued, "I had once dismissed your experience in a dream world, hoping we would only see what we needed to see, while fearing whatever happened in a dream would only become a distraction. I have to tell you that I believe I might have overly simplified things, with good intention that is. It's beyond my ability to further research the issue now. However, if I could share one thing with you__..." the old wizard smiled, __leaned forward towards Hermione and whispered,__.__ "I want you to remember, when all logical thinking fails, do follow your intuition."_

_The small frown crawled back between Hermione's brows as she considered the headmaster's strange words. "What..." But she only got to finish the first word of her question when an urgent voice suddenly called from the Headmaster's fireplace. _

_"Albus, do you have a moment?" Kingsley's deep voice interrupted Hermione's thoughts as the wizard's head struggled to poke through the green flames._

_"Yes, Kingsley. Just a moment." Dumbledore got up from his seat behind his desk and walked up to Hermione. "Don't be too concerned about an old man's mumble, Miss Granger. Simply think of it as some random food for thought. Sleep tight, my dear. Good evening."_

_Hermione wasn't allowed __another moment of hesitation, and was quickly ushered out of the headmaster's office. It never occurred to her that it would be the last time she had the chance to talk to Professor Dumbledore again._

* * *

"I'm not coming back next year." Harry's quiet declaration brought Hermione back to the present. "I've got to finish what Professor Dumbledore started. I'm going to hunt for the horcruxes."

"Where are you going to start?" Ron asked as they walked further away from the crowd.

"I don't really have any clues." Harry shrugged. "But I'll have to figure out a way."

"We'll go with you." Hermione clasped a hand over her best friend's shoulder and assured him.

"Yes." Ron chimed in, not realizing what he just heard. "Er...what? We will? I mean you will?" He looked at Hermione in surprise. He didn't expect to see the witch give up on school so easily.

"Of course." Hermione arched a brow at Ron before turning to Harry. "We are in this together. Like I told you before, Harry: we'll get through this together."

"That's right mate." Ron sent Hermione a toothy smile before turning his attention to Harry. "We're not going to let you go on this adventure by yourself."

Harry smiled at his two best friends, trying to find the right words to express his gratitude towards their support. Before he could find his voice, they heard a beautiful lament coming from above. Looking up, they saw Fawkes the phoenix sailing across the sky, soon disappearing into the distant horizon.

* * *

Hermione was on the verge of tears after yet another argument with her parents: Mr. and Mrs. Granger simply refused to believe the severity of the situation in the wizarding world, and could not accept their daughter's warning that a war was upon them.

"We're really sorry that Professor Dumbledore passed away, sweetheart," Mr. Granger tried to reason with his daughter over breakfast. "You said he was killed fighting this Dark Lord, but even the wizarding paper you showed me couldn't explain the situation. In the worst case scenario it sounded like a political conflict gone bad. And if a war is truly upon us, we will for sure hear about it from our government. I know there are a million reasons to question our government's honesty. But a war? You think the Parliament can get away from some mass destruction in our country while withholding important intelligence? I'm going to be late for work. We'll talk about this some other time. But please, don't exaggerate things..."

Mrs. Granger sent her daughter a saddened glance before picking up her handbag and jacket. "We'll be home by six tonight, Hermione." She leaned over and placed a quick kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Maybe some light reading can cheer you up? You have to understand your father... we are dealing with quite a bit of distraction at our practice lately. The office expansion is far more complicated than we had originally anticipated."

After waving her parents good-bye Hermione sank into the sofa in her parents' living-room, feeling a sense of despair threatening to swallow her whole.

She had made the commitment to follow Harry on his quest for horcruxes, which meant she only had until the end of summer holiday to convince her parents to move away to safety, preferably somewhere outside of the country. It had been a week since she returned from Hogwarts, but it was still next to impossible to even bring her parents to understand the urgency of the situation. She wondered what Severus would say if she could talk to him about her troubles. She wondered what he was doing now...

A sudden tap on the window startled Hermione and she jumped to her feet in surprise. When she looked up towards the noise she found a large spotted eagle-owl waiting patiently outside the kitchen window, with a roll of newspaper tied to one of his legs. Hermione studied the bird curiously before opening the window. She had already been visited by a barn owl earlier that morning, who had dutifully delivered her a copy of the Daily Prophet.

The eagle-owl hooted happily as Hermione untied the delivery from his one leg. Without waiting for any payment, the bird gracefully flew out of the kitchen, leaving Hermione staring at the paper in her hands in surprise: there was a small piece of parchment sticking out from the roll. There was a message!

Feeling her heart caught in her throat Hermione quickly examined the empty street outside the window. After making sure she was absolutely alone, she ran to her room in the back of the house and closed her bedroom door. Slowly she pulled the parchment out of the newspaper, and could no longer hold back a small cry.

Written in a familiar handsome handwriting on the parchment was a short sentence:

_"If you are still willing to see me, I will be waiting at the bakery in muggle London at 2 o'clock this afternoon."_

* * *

Hermione tried her best to remain calm as she rounded the street corner and headed towards the bakery she once visited with Severus a couple years ago. She had since visited the place twice, both times during the previous summer holiday, when she was desperately hoping to see him. She now understood that it was a time when he had almost given up on their friendship. Knowing she would soon see him again brought butterflies to her stomach.

The street was not very busy on this warm summer day. A few bistro tables sparsely occupied the sidewalk outside the bakery. A couple of businessmen dressed in suits were sharing some serious discussions over a cup of coffee. A young mother with a stroller was trying to settle her baby down with a bottle of milk. A college-aged young man was chatting excitedly with a girl his age, who seemed only slightly impressed by the fellow's enthusiasm. Quickly walking to the first window of the bakery, Hermione took a careful glance inside the store, hoping to spot the familiar dark-haired wizard.

"You're early." A quiet velvet voice suddenly came from behind.

Hermione let out a gasp and swung around to face the owner of the voice. "Severu..."

He put a finger on his lips and gestured her to stop talking, and promptly stopped her from leaping forward into his arms. Hermione noticed the dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't had a good night sleep for days. He was wearing a dark grey muggle jacket. She wondered if his unfamiliar attire was the only reason why she didn't notice the wizard, or if he had cast some sort of magic charms around himself.

After looking down towards the ground for a brief moment Severus looked up at her and asked with a uncertain tone that Hermione wasn't used to hearing. "Walk with me?"

She answered his question with a bright smile, and walked quietly by his side along the sidewalk. When they entered a quiet alley way he stopped his footsteps.

"I know you have a lot of questions." He said in a low voice. "But this is not a good place to talk." He paused for a brief moment and asked. "Do you trust me enough to let me take you to another location?"

"Of course." She didn't need to think about an answer and quickly slid her hand into his.

He didn't give her time to take in the surprise glistening in his dark eyes, and quickly wrapped his arms around her and Disapparated with a soft pop.

* * *

When her feet touched the ground again Hermione found herself standing in the middle of a small garden. The wizard had already transfigured his muggle attire back to his signature black coat, and was making his way swiftly down a narrow brick path towards a shabby looking cottage. Hermione was quite surprised when she looked around her. She could tell from the houses across the street that they were in a working-class muggle neighborhood.

"Where are we?" It was her first question when she followed him into the house. "Is this your house?"

"No. It's only a place I'm temporarily leasing under a cover name. I have no doubt Mad-Eye has been looking everywhere for me. And believe me, Madame Lestrange's hospitality can be rather overbearing," he answered quietly as he pointed his wand at the door and set up multiple wards. When he was done he turned around to face her, without looking at her in the eye. "All right. Now you may ask your questions. But I have to warn you first: I may not be able to tell you everything."

Looking at the tall wizard before her, Hermione felt her heard tremble as she recognized the vulnerability in his tone. He must be unsure; as he had told her the night she barged into his room. He must be worried that she would misunderstand, and hate him for what he did.

She reached over his broad shoulders and pulled him into a tight embrace, which he only returned with hesitation. When he pulled himself away from her he dropped his head. "What do you need to know?" He asked impassively. "We don't have a lot of time. And I have some things I've arranged that I must tell you."

"I don't need to know anything." She smiled through her tears. "All I've been worrying about all these weeks was how you're doing. Seeing you before me is all the answer I need."

He regarded her intensely for a long moment, before asking. "Why? After all I've done, why do you still care about me?"

"Because I know you. And I have faith in you." She answered. "I know you did it for a reason. And I suspect Dumbledore was in it with you."

"What makes you think that?" He frowned, couldn't help the surprise in his voice.

"The Headmaster was trying to tell me something not long before he... passed away." Hermione looked down at her hands and smiled sadly. "He told me to trust my intuition when all logics would fail. I think he might have been referring to your plans. Whatever transpired that night was definitely not logical. So I've been following my intuition."

"Who else knows about this?" His voice slightly raised in alarm.

"No one else." She shrugged. "I think Dumbledore only talked to me about it because he knew whatever information he shared with me would be safe. After all, he was the one decided I should learn Occlumency when I was fifteen."

"You are an Occlumens?" His eyes widened.

She nodded at him, and couldn't hide a chuckle as she studied his surprised expression. He seemed such a different person when he was the intimidating professor at Hogwarts. "I took lessons from Dumbledore for over a year. And after that I did my own practice at night. Professor Dumbledore told me he was confident in my ability, although we never had a chance to test out my..." She suddenly stopped her words and narrowed her eyes at Severus. She could sense his attempt to break into her mind while a gentle probe reached the area on her forehead between her brows. A moment later she broke into a smile and asked. "What do you think, professor? Do I get a passing grade?"

She watched in amazement as the wizard's lips slowly curled up into a smirk. And then he answered under his breath, "insufferable. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It never occurred to me to talk to you about this." Hermione sighed. "And the Headmaster did make me promise to keep it a secret. He said he didn't want my friends to be jealous of me. But now I know it was all a cover story that he made up. At any rate, you can tell me whatever you feel comfortable telling me." She walked into the kitchen adjacent to the entrance way and sat down by the kitchen table. "I won't press you on it. Although I wish Dumbledore could have been more forthcoming and share your plans with me."

"I'm probably the one to blame on that." He dropped his head and followed her into the kitchen. "Dumbledore did try to make me accept your friendship. He even tried to convince me that you can be a useful ally for me."

"What did you say?"

"I told him you were insufferable and I wanted nothing to do with you. I insisted that the Gryffindor know-it-all would have been the last one on earth I'd like to consider an ally." He mumbled.

"But that's not... quite what we've been doing in the past few months, is it?" She arched a brow at the information.

"I told no one about us, including the Headmaster." He sighed. "I thought that would be the best way to protect you. And I've always worried the old man would drag you into his grand plans. I guess that old man truly did live up to his reputation... that meddling old coot..."

"Not quite enough if you ask me." She leaned forward and put a hand on his one arm. "I still think he should be more upfront with me. You should let me help you. Now that you're all alone fighting from the inside, can I at least help coordinate some things with the Order?"

He shook his head quietly and pulled a small yellow package out of his pocket. With a wave of his wand he enlarged the object into a muggle envelope. "Take this." He pushed the package across the table.

Intrigued to see a muggle envelope in Severus' possession, Hermione quickly opened it, and let out a gasp when she found three plane tickets to Melbourne, Australia, and three passports with pictures of her and her parents. The names on the documents however, clearly stated Wendell, Monica, and Annie Wilkins. "Why... How..." She couldn't stop gaping at the official-looking documents. "They look so real!"

"That's because they _are_ real." He answered plainly. When he found her questioning glance he confessed with a sigh. "_Imperio_ curse. It's not like I haven't done any unforgivable curses lately. I got them from a muggle Border Agency and a travel agency next door to it. Sorry about the names if you don't like them... I'm not sure what the most common muggle names nowadays are so I just let the clerk picked them out. Apparently these are what he could come up with."

"Wow... I don't know what to say..." She frowned at the realization of his plans. "But why? Is this the reason you wanted to see me today?"

"Precisely." He nodded. "I'm glad you came to meet me. If you didn't come to the bakery I was going to drop them off at your parents' house. But to be honest I wasn't sure how to explain all this to you if you didn't want to see me." He pressed his lips together into a thin line and paused for a long moment. "You need to leave the country, Hermione. It's too dangerous for a muggle-born to stay here, let alone when the entire school knows of you as one of the best friends of the Boy-Who-Lived. If you can't convince your parents to leave, you'll have to modify their memories. The tickets are for this Saturday, two days from now. You need to hurry and..."

"No." She cut him off. "I'm not going anywhere."

"This is not the time to be stubborn." He growled.

"You don't understand." She took in a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. "I appreciate you doing all this. And I will follow your suggestions as far as sending my parents away. I think I'll have to use the memory charms, because I haven't been very convincing in the past few days." She gave him a small smile while slowly gathering the documents back into the envelope. "But I'm not leaving, Severus. I can't leave you here alone. I can't leave Harry here alone."

His frowned deepened as he thought of the fate of the Boy-Who-Lived. "That's too dangerous." He hissed. "Even the walls of Hogwarts won't always be able to protect the Potter brat."

Looking at Severus sadly Hermione decided to explain her plans. "We're not going back to Hogwarts, Severus."

"What?" He raised his voice in surprise. "Where are you going?"

"Before Dumbledore died, he told Harry to find and destroy the horcruxes."

"Horcruxes?" His brows furrowed. "What..."

"The Headmaster didn't tell you about them?" It was Hermione's turn to be surprised. "I thought you'd know all about it."

"No." Severus spat bitterly. "The old man made me do all sort of things that I didn't want to do, but wouldn't share with me all of his plans. He never told me what he was doing while having those private lessons with Potter this entire year. I don't think he ever trusted me enough."

"But he should! He didn't have a single reason not to trust you!" Hermione was suddenly feeling furious as she considered how Severus had been used as a pawn. This was exactly what she was worried about a couple years ago when she forced the Headmaster into the deal. A thought suddenly occurred to her. Would Dumbledore still be able to keep his promise if he was now... dead?

"Tell me about these horcruxes. What are they?" A question from Severus pulled Hermione out of her thoughts.

"Well, according to Dumbledore..." Hermione went on and explained every single detail she had learned from Harry when he returned from his evening meetings with the old wizard.

Severus was completely silent when Hermione finished her explanation. After a very long pause he looked up at her, with absolute sadness in his eyes. "It all makes perfect sense now." He let out a sigh and went on in a low voice. "Other than killing him, Dumbledore asked me to do one more thing." He hesitated a brief moment. "Although he didn't tell me anything about the horcruxes, I now believe he did share with me the knowledge about one of them. The last one that'll have to be... destroyed."

"What is it? And where is it?" She asked excitedly.

Shaking his head he let out a miserable grunt. "It's not an 'it', Hermione. It's a 'him'. It's Potter. Your friend Harry Potter is the horcrux that must have been created when the Dark Lord murdered Lily. Don't you understand? Harry Potter must die, in the Dark Lord's hands."

"But that simply can't be!" Hermione cried. "Harry told me the prophesy said that he was supposed to be the one to kill you-know-who. If he had to die in the Dark Lord's hands, who would actually kill that evil man? Oh no, Severus. There has to be another way! You have to help him!"

"You think I want him to die?" He hissed impatiently. "But if all of the horcruxes have to be destroyed, what alternatives do we have?"

Silence fell between them. Finally Hermione got up from her seat and walked to Severus side. She picked up one of his hands and rested her face against it. Slowly she sat down in his lap and searched for his eyes. "I'm not going to leave my best friend to die. And I'm not going to let my boyfriend fight the war alone. I'm staying Severus."

"Boyfriend?" The wizard frowned, not used to hearing the new title. Letting out a deep sigh he pulled her deep into his arms. "I can't believe you still think of me like that."

"You need to stop looking for excuses to push me away, Severus Snape!" She gently slapped his shoulder and smiled down at him. "Remember, I have faith in you, always." Without waiting for a reply she leaned down towards the wizard and kissed him deeply, as if trying to make up all the time they had missed in the past few weeks.

He was once again the first one to pull away. With his eyes closed he swallowed hard. And then in a voice barely audible he said, "you should go now. Please consider using those documents I procured for you. I still wish you to leave with your parents. I'll go find you after the war if I..." He stopped in mid-sentence before he could finish the words "make it through alive."

"How do I come back here?" She asked. Seeing the question in his eyes she answered. "It's my decision to make, isn't it? I may want to come see you one last time even if I do decide to leave."

With a wave of his wand he conjured out a small piece of parchment with the address neatly written on it. Handing it to the witch he gave her a gentle push and helped her to her feet. "Take the plane this Saturday, Hermione. Go to Australia. Please."

She didn't answer, but only reached up and placed another quick kiss on his lips. Gathering the envelope on the table she walked straight to the door. With one last backwards glance she smiled at him sweetly, and soon disappeared into the garden.

Hearing the soft pop outside the cottage Severus sank back down into the chair. He buried his face in his hands and let out a staggered sigh. "Damn your grand plans, Albus." He whispered into his hands. "What else did you hide from me?"

TBC

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**_It was a long and necessary transitional chapter. What do you think? Still with me? Look forward to your reviews!_**


	18. Crookshanks Knows

**_A/N: Here comes a little break from all that intensity... or a little fluff - if you can call it that! And I hope by now you can forgive my lack of confidence in writing fluff, and know that I will never write fluff without a good reason (Hint hint...) ;-)_**

**_Luna de Papel... I'm so very grateful for your magic touch!_**

**_Disclaimer: Not Mine._**

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**Chapter Eighteen – Crookshanks Knows**

Severus spent the rest of Thursday rehearsing how he would reason with Hermione and convince her to join her parents on their trip to Australia. Knowing the witch, he didn't have too much faith in her following his instructions and boarding the plane in two days. He had very much expected her to pop back into the garden outside his window, announcing her refusal to leave the country. Severus was quite proud of himself by the time he went to bed that night, thinking he had come up with a strong argument to convince her to leave, should she show up at his place the following morning.

By the time Friday morning came along, however, Severus was no longer sure about what he truly wanted.

Staying up in bed late the previous night thinking about her honey brown eyes and sweet warm lips certainly didn't help. Severus spent the early morning hours feeling overwhelmed by conflicting emotions he had never felt before. For a while he thought for sure he was going to be sick.

When he first opened his eyes, his heart felt so light that he thought he could float into the sky. She had called him her "boyfriend." Her boyfriend! He contemplated the new title as he slowly climbed out of bed. He couldn't believe how long it had taken him to have that word finally sink in. She didn't hate him for what he did. She understood! She had faith in him! She was now his... his girlfriend! But by the time when he walked out of his bedroom and got into the kitchen, he suddenly realized he didn't even have a clue about how many months or even years they might need to be separated, and how he would find her again after the war. What if the war was never to end? The thought of the possibility of losing her to the separation drove into his heart like a knife made of ice. Severus had not prepared himself for the overwhelming pain he felt because of her absence. To make things worse, he did realize he had last seen her only less than twenty-four hours ago.

As the hours went by, the wizard paced the floor in his kitchen and his bedroom, in his study and his living-room. He was quite surprised that she didn't come knocking on his door. Was he wrong about her unwillingness to leave? Should he go visit her before she boarded the muggle airplane in the morning? But what if his showing up at her parents' place distracted her and made her want to stay? Was he willing to see her give up the opportunity to leave the inevitable danger looming around the corner in England?

The grandfather clock in the living-room soon became Severus' worst enemy. The sound of the pendulum swinging rhythmically behind the glass panel quickly began to remind him how slowly time was passing. He buried his face in his hands as he sank deep into his sofa, hoping tomorrow could come sooner. When the clock stroke 10 the following morning it would all be over. The plane would have taken off, she would be gone, and he would have lost his options. Sometimes no alternative may just be the best alternative.

Saturday morning came and went. She didn't come through the door.

Severus took a deep breath when the dark mark on his arm made him hiss with pain. He had decided at least the Dark Lord's summons would help him stay focused. In a swirl of black smoke, together with his misery, the wizard disappeared into the darkening sky.

* * *

It was already evening by the time Severus left the Dark Lord's meeting. During the gathering at Malfoy Manor he learned that his new assignment was to take over Dumbledore's old post and become Hogwarts' new headmaster in September. It was exactly what Albus had predicted, Severus noted bitterly: the old wizard's strategy seemed to be playing out quite the way he had planned even with the man himself long gone.

After he left Malfoy Manor, Severus decided to take a detour. It wasn't something the wizard would typically do; but it seemed perfectly normal on this day, when the constant thought about a certain witch had occupied his every waking moment. It was a brief stop at the Granger's residence, where he found a "For Sale" sign had been promptly displayed next to the garden gate.

Looking at the dark rooms of the small house Severus sighed; he couldn't help feeling disappointed. She didn't stop by to say good-bye, like she had suggested she would do two days ago. From the look of the house he had to admire the witch's efficiency. It looked as if the place had been vacant for at least a few days. He had no clue how she could have gotten rid of everything with such speed.

She must have been busy, then. He tried to comfort himself. She only had less than two days, and by the time she finished making all the arrangements for both the move and the sale of the house, she probably had to rush to the airport to make it on time for the flight. Absentmindedly, Severus Disapparated from the residence that had once belonged to the Grangers, and returned to the muggle neighborhood where he was temporarily staying. However, he didn't return to his cottage without stopping by a liquor store around the street corner first. With a bottle of the best whiskey he could find in the stingy muggle store, Severus slowly made his way back under the starry sky.

A breath caught in his throat when he saw lights radiating from the living-room of his leased cottage. No one, except for her, knew about his current hiding place. But then again, he probably should never underestimate Mad-Eye's ability to track down a target. Severus briefly considered abandoning his current housing plan and going somewhere else for the night. But a small hope flickered in the back of his mind. He had to see it with his own eyes that this wasn't... her.

With his wand held at the ready, Severus sped up his footsteps. Instead of entering the garden leading to the front door however, he made his way around the cottage and quietly opened the back door in the kitchen. He left the bottle of whiskey on the table by the door before making his way through the kitchen and the bedroom. He made his way down the hallway quietly like a shadow. When he finally saw the intruder to his cottage, he felt a flood of relief rush through his heart.

From where he was standing, Severus could see the witch he had become so used to seeing in his dreams sitting in a sofa next to a table lamp. Her face was hidden behind an over-sized book. Judging from the thickness and cover of the book, Severus suspected it was the last volume of the Advanced Protection Charms and Spells. She was so absorbed in her reading that she didn't even notice she was being watched.

_She'll need to be reminded to pay more attention to her surroundings_, Severus thought to himself. But the reminder could wait. Instead of greeting the witch, the wizard tucked away his wand and stood in the doorway. Quietly, he took in the picture before him, hoping to burn the image into his mind.

The golden light radiating from the lamp cast a magical glow around the young witch. She was wearing a lavender knit-top and blue jeans. With one hand holding her book, she had her other hand at the tips of her soft brown hair, twirling a strand of the curly lock with two fingers - a habit he had noticed her indulging when she was deep into her reading. It was a perfect picture of home, or a picture of what home should look like to him.

Severus couldn't help but smile when the witch didn't notice his presence after almost five minutes. Just when he was about to clear his throat and announce his return, his eyes narrowed as he noticed a large ball of fur slowly emerging from the other side of Hermione. Severus arched a brow when he took a good look of the creature: it was an enormous ginger cat, although it could almost pass as a small lion. Hermione had told him about her cat before; but he had never actually met this half-kneazle. The animal lazily got up from the spot next to the witch, arched his back for a brief moment before dramatically reaching forward with his front legs. He flattened his ears and finished the stretch with an impressive yawn. He then nimbly hopped across Hermione's legs and down from the sofa, and trotted across the room with his tail held high in the air. Severus had never paid much attention to cats, so he wasn't sure if he was imagining things when the creature sent him an arrogant glance.

The wizard frowned as he watched the feline sit down on the floor only a few steps away, with his bushy tail curled around his paws. Was he hallucinating or was the cat actually glaring at him? Severus was annoyed and amused at the same time. The cat however, seemed to have his own agenda. After staring at the wizard for a good long minute, he let out a loud and clear announcement. "Meow!"

The half-kneazle's warning promptly pulled the witch out of her reading. "Severus!"

Before the wizard could sneer at the cat, Hermione had already jumped out of the sofa and into his arms.

Nothing could feel more right to have her back in his arms again. All of the reasoning he had prepared in his head was thrown out of the window. Severus couldn't remember one single word about why the witch shouldn't have been there. When he looked into her honey brown eyes, all he could think of was that she was there, again, finally, with him.

She let out a surprised yelp when he crashed down to her lips and attacked her with a hungry kiss. Her lips parted and she welcomed him eagerly. They had shared many kisses by now, but never before were they both so overwhelmed by the feeling of needing to be closer to each other. With her eyes closed, Hermione reached her hands up and ran through Severus' silky black hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss. She felt fortunate that she could rely on his strong arms to keep her steady; because she was quickly beginning to feel light-headed as he threatened to devour her lips with forceful desire. If he was to let go at the moment, the witch was sure she would collapse in a heap on the floor.

When they finally broke apart for air, Severus frowned and looked over Hermione's shoulder. Staring at him with a pair of golden eyes, was the ginger cat with a very squashed face. Feeling annoyed by the invasion to his privacy, Severus grunted, "I don't appreciate being watched."

Blinking at the wizard for a few times, Hermione seemed to slowly recover from a daze. She sent a quick glance at her familiar and smiled. "Oh, is Crookshanks bothering you? Don't mind him. He's just curious."

The information about the unwelcome observer pulled Severus slightly out of the desire burning through his veins. Taking a deep breath he looked back down at the witch. "You're here," he murmured.

"Of course I am." Her smile widened. "I've been waiting for you for over an hour."

"You didn't leave." He frowned at his own words. Was he capable of stating anything else other than the facts?

"No, I didn't." She answered him softly. "And you honestly couldn't have expected me to leave." When he didn't answer, she seemed slightly nervous. "I did consider it, Severus. Really, I did. Although it didn't take me long to come to a decision."

"How long did you consider it?" He asked, but he knew he didn't really care about how she would answer. All he could see were her slightly blushed cheeks and pink soft lips.

The witch, however, took his question quite seriously. "I thought about it the entire time when I Disapparated from here back to my parents' house."

"That probably took less than half a minute." He pointed out plainly.

"But it was some serious thinking." She gave him an uneasy smile.

Silence fell between them. He tried to control his own breathing as he watched the heaving of her chest. Was she thinking what he was thinking? Not wanting to be too sure about his assumptions, Severus swallowed hard and asked. "The plane left this morning. Where have you been?"

"I went to the Weasleys." She kept her eyes locked on his. "I told Molly that I sent my parents away, and asked her if I could stay with them for the summer after I put my parents' house on the market in a few weeks. I was also thinking about leaving Crookshanks with them. But after seeing how busy she is, considering Bill and Fleur are going to have their wedding there later this summer, I didn't think it would be a good idea..."

"In a few weeks?" He was slow catching up with her words in this particular evening. "I stopped by your parents' house tonight and saw the sign. You don't need to wait..."

"How else do you think I should explain to Molly that I don't need to move to their place for a few more weeks?" She stopped him and smirked mischievously.

He arched his brows but didn't answer. He couldn't have thought of a better cover for them to spend some time together. Was she really telling him that she lied to the Weasleys so that she could come here and... live with him? Would they really be able to spend every minute in each other's company for the next few weeks? Fearing his anticipation was only wishful thinking, Severus stayed silent and didn't say a word.

The lack of response from the wizard seemed to alarm the young witch slightly. She looked down for a brief moment and chewed on her bottom lip. When she looked back up at him she said, "It's probably going to be a long time before we can see each other again and... spend some time together. I just thought... Uh... if that's okay with you. And..." she looked away and swallowed, missing the amusement sparking in his eyes. "I was also hoping you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on Crookshanks when I go on the horcrux hunt with Harry and Ron. He's quite self-sufficient. As long as he has his bowl of cat food in the morning and at night, and a safe and warm place to sleep, he'll..."

"I'll keep an eye on him." He cut her off. "I'm returning to Hogwarts when school resumes. He can roam the grounds and do whatever cats do out there. If that's all there is with him."

"Oh, yes." She looked back at him, clearly wanting to say something else. Feeling nervously about what was truly on her mind however, Hermione went on. "He's actually a very friendly cat and is very smart and personable. He likes a good scratch around his neck. He does shed a bit, but it's only bad around spring time..."

"Hermione." He stopped her quietly, and traced a finger down her cheek to her chin. "You're babbling."

"Um, am I?" Her cheeks turned scarlet as she looked back at the wizard, and saw the desire burning in his darkened eyes.

He answered her with another breathtaking kiss. "Tell me..." He asked between the clashes of their lips. "What do you really want from me?"

Her hands on his shoulder tightened as his question clicked in her mind. She opened her eyes and looked at him from under her long lashes. "I miss you Severus. And I... want you."

He gave her his reply with light nibbles on her right earlobe. "Are you sure?" His velvet voice quietly rang in her ears. "Are you sure you want this?"

She gripped onto his shoulders like a lifeline, as she felt herself melting in his arms. Not trusting her voice, she only nodded.

He kissed her again, this time almost desperately. But then he pulled away abruptly, leaving her glaring at him in surprise. "I'm only going to ask you one more time," he murmured huskily. "Are you absolutely sure? My self-control can't last much longer. If you're not absolutely sure, please tell me now and we will stop right this moment."

A smile spread across her face and she answered quietly. "Yes, Severus, I want this, I want you. I'm absolutely sure."

He gave her another quick kiss on the lips and reached deep into his chest pocket, and pulled out a small object that looked like an over-sized business card. She watched in amazement as he pointed his wand at it and transformed it into a small wooden box. With the press of a silver button, he opened the box, revealing six crystal vials inside.

"What are these?" She asked curiously.

"My emergency kit. The two green ones are Antivenin, the two red ones are Blood-Replenishing potions, the blue one is a condensed healing potion, and the clear one," he paused for a brief moment, "is for you."

"For me?" Hermione's eyes widened. "Why? I'm not sick, or injured. I don't need potions. I... Oh." Her mouth turned into an O as she worked out the answer in her mind.

He nodded at her deduction. "Yes. It's a contraception potion I brewed myself."

Hermione felt a pang of anger and jealousy hit her like a slap in the face. Her mouth opened and closed for a few times. But she couldn't find her voice to ask the question.

She watched his pale fingers dig out the clear vial, but didn't take it from him.

"Have you changed your mind?" He asked quietly.

Fighting back her tears she shook her head feverishly. Swallowed down a lump in her throat she asked, "Why? Why do you carry contraception in your emergency kit? How long has this been going on?"

"It's not what you think." He sensed the bitterness in her question. "I..."

"No. No. No." She pushed herself away from him and added hastily. "Actually, don't answer that. I don't want to know."

He let out a sigh and followed her into the living room. Sitting next to her in the sofa, he said. "Why don't you ask me when I first started carrying this?"

"Oh right, like that's going to help." She spat, dashing a stray tear running down her cheek. Was he going to tell her this was part of his job working as an under-covered spy? Did he expect her to be convinced that he was being considerate, trying not to impregnate some random women in the street?

"Please, Hermione." He pulled her towards him by her arms. Lifting her face up by her chin, he searched for her eyes and pleaded. "Please listen to me. I've replaced a vial of the healing potion with this since the day you told me about Toby." He smiled weakly as she looked up tentatively to meet his eyes. "I've been carrying it with me since that day, worrying I'd repeat the same..." He stopped mid-sentence and swallowed the word _mistake_. Heaving a deep sigh, he went on with his explanation. "You have to understand, Hermione. For the longest time I had no idea how things happened in the other world. I considered many possibilities. Some scenarios involving me... doing something against your will under the Dark Lord's orders were simply too terrifying to imagine. I didn't want to force you into anything that you were not prepared for. Learning about your experience as a single mother raising a little boy when you were only nineteen made me feel... guilty." He looked away from her and went on. "And then, after a while, this" he pointed at her and himself "between us, happened, which I have your persistency to thank. That changed things quite a bit. It's not that I don't want us to have a future together. Trust me; there is nothing I want more than that right now. But you're still young, and I don't want to tie you down with a burden. Someday..." he paused for a long moment, looking for the right words, "when we are fortunate enough to have the future I hope we'll have together, I'll get rid of this vial, and leave it with you to decide when or what you want with your life, and with us."

She watched him delivering his every word slowly and sincerely, and quietly took in the meaning of him carrying the potion. When he finished his explanations she took the vial from him. "You're talking too much," she advised him with a small smile.

Looking at her with great concern he replied. "Am I? But I don't want any misunderstandings."

"There isn't any, not any more. And there won't be any," she assured him. "And I'm sorry," she added softly. "I should have never doubted you. I guess I was just a bit possessive." She could feel her cheeks burning. "I don't want to... share."

He reached down to her and kissed away another tear slid down her cheek. Gently he brushed his lips against hers. "That's okay." He whispered. "You don't need to apologize. And believe me, you will never need to share."

She closed her eyes and welcomed his kisses. With her arms wrapped around his neck, she asked bashfully, "So... where were we?"

* * *

Crookshanks watched curiously as the wizard in black got up from the sofa, carrying the witch in his arms. The cat nimbly jumped out of the way as the wizard's dragon-hide boots marched across the living-room. It was obvious the human's mind was somewhere else, for he was completely ignoring everything that stood in his path. Crookshanks suppressed another yawn as he watched his mistress giggle quietly in the wizard's arms. He wondered what was so funny for the witch and decided to follow the pair for the sake of his own curiosity. But before he could catch up with them, the wizard got inside the bedroom and kicked the bedroom door shut behind them.

The half-kneazle let out a low growl in protest and briefly considered giving the bedroom door a good scratch to voice his displeasure. He quickly decided against it however, as he recalled the wizard's seriousness when he once observed him from afar at Hogwarts. Since it sounded like he would have to rely on the wizard for his daily meals and shelter while his mistress was away on her trip, Crookshanks decided he should probably stay on the wizard's good side.

His mind set, the half-kneazle trotted back to the living-room with his tail held high. He jumped back onto the sofa where the pair were sitting a little while ago and found a warm spot. Walking in circles for a few times, the feline picked out a perfect arrangement and flopped down with his back leaning against the back of the sofa. Lazily he began his nightly grooming. His ears twitched when he heard the soft quiet moans coming from the bedroom.

Aha, that's what it was all about. Crookshanks smirked behind his whiskers. He remembered what it was like from years ago, when he was a young cub himself in Diagon Alley. With his eyes closed, the half-kneazle remembered the lady friends he once met behind the alley ways. He wondered how the rag-doll was doing these days. He still remembered her frisky paws and clear blue eyes. With his nose buried deep under his bushy tail, Crookshanks was quickly lost in the memory from the past. He felt quite content as he purred enthusiastically to his own thoughts, and completely tuned out the sweet noises coming from the other side of the bedroom door.

TBC

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**____****What did Crookshanks sensitive hearing pick up? Well, you get the idea. In preparation for writing this chapter I interviewed the other "man" in my life, my husband's sixteen-year-old loyal Siamese cat, Henry. Henry purred through most of my questions but gave me a few slow blinks at the end. I'm thinking he probably approves my approach with the half-kneazle. **

**____****What do you think of it? Let me know! Thanks! =)**


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